Girl nameCurrently #251 in the USSteady
Miriam
MEER-ee-um//ˈmɪriəm//
3 syllablesPeak year: 19246 lettersStarts with M
Meaning & origin
Bitter, or beloved (disputed)
Miriam is the original Hebrew form behind Mary and Maria, its exact meaning debated between 'bitter' and 'wished-for child' or 'beloved'. In the Bible she is the prophetess and sister of Moses and Aaron who leads the Israelite women in song after crossing the Red Sea.
Miriam's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Miriam |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 28 |
| 1881 | 27 |
| 1882 | 40 |
| 1883 | 34 |
| 1884 | 45 |
| 1885 | 42 |
| 1886 | 56 |
| 1887 | 46 |
| 1888 | 64 |
| 1889 | 80 |
| 1890 | 83 |
| 1891 | 83 |
| 1892 | 88 |
| 1893 | 108 |
| 1894 | 152 |
| 1895 | 169 |
| 1896 | 169 |
| 1897 | 188 |
| 1898 | 176 |
| 1899 | 181 |
| 1900 | 214 |
| 1901 | 218 |
| 1902 | 200 |
| 1903 | 218 |
| 1904 | 227 |
| 1905 | 234 |
| 1906 | 273 |
| 1907 | 301 |
| 1908 | 342 |
| 1909 | 339 |
| 1910 | 368 |
| 1911 | 487 |
| 1912 | 686 |
| 1913 | 826 |
| 1914 | 981 |
| 1915 | 1,377 |
| 1916 | 1,460 |
| 1917 | 1,614 |
| 1918 | 1,714 |
| 1919 | 1,549 |
| 1920 | 1,744 |
| 1921 | 1,749 |
| 1922 | 1,639 |
| 1923 | 1,741 |
| 1924 | 1,834 |
| 1925 | 1,600 |
| 1926 | 1,510 |
| 1927 | 1,377 |
| 1928 | 1,250 |
| 1929 | 1,074 |
| 1930 | 1,057 |
| 1931 | 876 |
| 1932 | 914 |
| 1933 | 912 |
| 1934 | 824 |
| 1935 | 792 |
| 1936 | 769 |
| 1937 | 752 |
| 1938 | 768 |
| 1939 | 713 |
| 1940 | 734 |
| 1941 | 715 |
| 1942 | 706 |
| 1943 | 708 |
| 1944 | 710 |
| 1945 | 672 |
| 1946 | 699 |
| 1947 | 756 |
| 1948 | 698 |
| 1949 | 708 |
| 1950 | 841 |
| 1951 | 876 |
| 1952 | 910 |
| 1953 | 913 |
| 1954 | 1,047 |
| 1955 | 1,025 |
| 1956 | 1,040 |
| 1957 | 958 |
| 1958 | 1,003 |
| 1959 | 956 |
| 1960 | 1,051 |
| 1961 | 949 |
| 1962 | 992 |
| 1963 | 900 |
| 1964 | 853 |
| 1965 | 754 |
| 1966 | 667 |
| 1967 | 656 |
| 1968 | 659 |
| 1969 | 616 |
| 1970 | 655 |
| 1971 | 701 |
| 1972 | 577 |
| 1973 | 589 |
| 1974 | 606 |
| 1975 | 680 |
| 1976 | 626 |
| 1977 | 664 |
| 1978 | 612 |
| 1979 | 762 |
| 1980 | 781 |
| 1981 | 809 |
| 1982 | 818 |
| 1983 | 746 |
| 1984 | 794 |
| 1985 | 755 |
| 1986 | 765 |
| 1987 | 758 |
| 1988 | 740 |
| 1989 | 827 |
| 1990 | 983 |
| 1991 | 1,023 |
| 1992 | 1,072 |
| 1993 | 1,031 |
| 1994 | 1,027 |
| 1995 | 987 |
| 1996 | 1,023 |
| 1997 | 948 |
| 1998 | 994 |
| 1999 | 1,052 |
| 2000 | 1,162 |
| 2001 | 1,076 |
| 2002 | 1,126 |
| 2003 | 1,116 |
| 2004 | 1,199 |
| 2005 | 1,191 |
| 2006 | 1,160 |
| 2007 | 1,146 |
| 2008 | 1,101 |
| 2009 | 1,079 |
| 2010 | 1,086 |
| 2011 | 947 |
| 2012 | 1,050 |
| 2013 | 1,112 |
| 2014 | 1,072 |
| 2015 | 1,106 |
| 2016 | 1,122 |
| 2017 | 1,157 |
| 2018 | 1,109 |
| 2019 | 1,165 |
| 2020 | 1,151 |
| 2021 | 1,193 |
| 2022 | 1,202 |
| 2023 | 1,246 |
| 2024 | 1,267 |
Miriam through the decades
- Miriam peaked in 1924, when 1,834 babies were named Miriam in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Miriam has risen 7% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Miriam currently ranks #251 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
MiriMimi
Variants & spellings
MariamMarion