Marie Name Meaning

This article will give you a clear explanation to Marie name meaning, its roots, popularity, and facts regarding the name. I’ll also provide you with lists of nicknames, middle names, and sibling names for Marie.

The name Marie has existed for centuries. It’s the name of various queen consorts and notable people throughout history. Many people think this name has a meaning relating to the ocean. But its meaning and origin are more complicated than you think.

Origin Of Name — Many parents don’t fully understand the meaning and true origin of this name.

The Overview Of The Name Marie

Briefly read the main points about the name Marie in this part. You can scroll down for more detailed information.

Meaning	Marie has multiple meanings, such as “star of the sea”, “drop of the sea”, “wished for child”, “beloved”, “bitterness”, etc.
Pronunciation	muh-ree
Origin	Marie is the French and Czech versions of the names Maria and Mary. It can also be developed from the Hebrew word, meaning “drop of the sea” or from the word marah, which indicates “bitterness”.
Gender	Marie is predominantly a female name. In Catholic families, Marie can be a masculine name used as the latter part of the hyphen, like Louis-Marie, Jacques-Marie, etc.
Popularity	Marie used to be very popular in the 20th century. It was on the top 20 most common female names from 1900 to 1927. In 2021, it was positioned at number 600.
Name Variations	Mary, Maryam, Miriam, Marrie, Mariah, etc.
Nicknames	Mae, May, Mimi, Ree, Mariel, etc.
Similar Names	Marlene, Mia, Maeve, Margot, Marisol, etc.
Sibling Names	*For Brothers:* Michael, Merle, Rene, Toni, Joseph, etc. *For Sisters:* Liana, Adeline, Sarah, Eva. Maude, etc.
Middle Names	Rose, Delphine, Anne, Claire, Celeste, etc.

The Meaning Of The Name Marie Parents Should Know

Marie (pronounced muh-ree) carries multiple meanings since it comes from various origins. Some of the most common meanings of this name include “star of the sea”, “drop of the sea”, “wished for child”, “rebelliousness”, “beloved”, and “bitterness”.

The True Origin Of The Name Marie

Marie is a French and Czech variant of the Latin name Maria and the Biblical name Mary. Additionally, Mary comes from the Hebrew Miryam, the name of the older sister of Moses mentioned in the Book of Exodus, the prophetess Miryam.

The name Miryam conveys “sea of bitterness”, “rebelliousness”, and “wished for a child”. Or it can originate from an Egyptian name meaning “beloved” or “love”. ⁽¹⁾

Some theories mention Marie is developed from the Hebrew word mar, which signifies “drop” and yam, meaning “sea”. Its meaning, therefore, is “drop of the sea”. It’s also interpreted as “bitterness”, which translates from the Hebrew word marah.

Can A Boy’s Name Be Marie?

Most people are frequently familiar with Marie as a feminine name. Nevertheless, sometimes it’s a masculine name in pairings, for example, Louis-Marie, Jacques-Marie, etc. Most of these male compound names are traditionally used in Catholic families.

The Popularity Of The Name Marie

Marie has been popular in France since the 13th century. Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France, or Marie Curie, an eminent Polish-French physicist and chemist, is influential in the popularity of this name.

In America, the name was a very common girl’s name, especially in the first three decades of the 20th century. From 1900 to 1927, Marie was among the top 20 most popular feminine names and peaked at 7th in 1904.

For the last ten years, its rank has significantly dropped. Specifically, in 2021, it placed 600th among the top 1000 common names for girls. Nowadays, it’s also common as a middle name.

Name Variations For Marie

As Marie is derived from many different names, it also has many variations. If you want more name ideas having the same meaning as Marie, here are some variations you can consider.

Mary (English)
Maryam (Arabic/Hebrew)
Miriam (Hebrew)
Marrie (French)
Mariah (Hebrew)
Maire (Irish/Latin)
Marielle (Dutch)
Maree (Irish)

Adorable Nicknames For Marie

Using one of these cute nicknames to call your Marie is a way to express your affection. They are outstanding options that many parents love.

Mae
May
Mimi
Ree
Mariel
Mariesa
Marielly
Mariena

Similar Names To Marie

This collection includes names similar to Marie, starting with the letter M but possessing different interpretations.

Name	Pronunciation	Meaning	Origin
Marlene	marh-leen or mar-lay-neh	From Magdala, star of the sea, torch, beautiful, shining, etc.	German
Mia	mee-uh or me-ah	Beloved, mine, dear, darling, bitter, moon, etc.	Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, Scandinavian, etc.
Maeve	may-eev or mayv	The intoxicating one, she who rules, queen, or purple flower.	Irish, Celtic, and Latin
Margot	mahr-goh	Pearl	French and Greek
Marisol	mah-ree-sohl	Sea and sun or Mary of solitude.	Spanish
Mara	mahr-uh	Bitter	Hebrew and Czech
Michelle	mi-shell	Who resembles God	French and Hebrew
Marilyn	mar-uh-lin	Star of the sea, beloved, drop of the sea, wished for child, rebellion, bitter etc.	English

Sibling Names For Marie

Save this list if you plan to have more kids after Marie. It contains charming sibling names that match well with Marie.

For Boys

There are some name suggestions that have two syllables and are easy to pronounce. Many of them share French and Hebrew origins, like Marie.

Michael: If you are looking for a Hebrew masculine name for Marie’s brothers, Michael is one of the great options to start with. Michale translates to “who is like God” or “gift from God”. It’s the name of a protector of Israel in the Book of Daniel.
Merle: It’s a gender-neutral name conveying “blackbird”. Merle is sometimes a nickname for people who enjoy singing or whistling. Some sources mention the name is developed from the French word merle, derived from the Latin merula.
Rene: Rene or René is another French boy’s name and is popular in French-speaking, German-speaking, and Spanish-speaking countries. The interpretation of the name is “born again” or “reborn”. Besides, its feminine version is.
Toni: It’s a short form of Anthony and Antonia, rooted in the Latin name Antonius. It’s a unisex name meaning “beyond praise”, “priceless one”, “flower”, “flourishing”, or “from Antium”.
Joseph: This classic Biblical name means “he will add” or “fame taken away” and refers to two persons in the Bible. In the Book of Genesis, Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob and Rachel. Another is recorded in the New Testament; he was Mary’s husband and Jesus’s father.
Simon: Given its Hebrew and Greek roots, Simon shares the meaning of “he has heard”, “listen” or “hearing”. It also has its origin in Greek and conveys “flat-nosed”. Saint Simon the Zealot was one of the apostles of Jesus in the first century AD.

For Girls

These feminine and delicate names have the same style as Marie and are flawlessly fitting for Marie’s sisters.

Liana: It’s a French feminine name coming from the word liane and mentions “to twine around”, “to climb like a vine”, or “she who embraces”. This name relates to a long-stemmed and woody vine that climbs other trees to reach the sunlight.
Adeline: With the meaning of “noble” or “nobility”, Adeline is a gorgeous and melodic name for girls. Also, it’s of French origin and developed from the German Adèle. The film The Age of Adaline is about a young woman who never gets old after an accident.
Sarah: This timeless name will encourage your little queen to be kind, brave, and confident in herself. That’s because Sarah is a Hebrew female name denoting “princess” or “noblewoman”. It’s associated with the matriarch Sarah, the wife of the patriarch Abraham.
Eva: Eva translates to “life”, “living one”, or “mother of life”. It’s a variant of Eve, taken from the Hebrew word Chawah, meaning “to breathe”. In the famous novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Eva or Evangeline St. Clare, whom Uncle Tom saves from drowning.
Maude: Maude can have its roots in French, German, and Hebrew. It comes from the name Madeleine, meaning “woman from Magdala” or is a variant of the name Matilda, conveying “mighty in battle”. Empress Maude is the daughter of King Henry I of England.
Margi: As a variant of Margaret or Marjorie, Margi shares the meaning of “pearl” and may be rooted in French. In some cultures, pearls have the symbolic meaning of “wisdom gained through experience”. Besides, Margi can come from Indian and indicate “a traveler”.

Middle Names For Marie

Give consideration to one of these middle names for your little Marie. It’s sure to make her name completely outstanding and meaningful.

Rose: Taken from the word for a flowering plant, Rose refers to “rose”. Some said it comes from the Latin rosa. But other theories mention it’s the Norman spelling of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis, meaning “famous type”.
Delphine: Delphine, a French equivalent of Delphina, refers to “of Delphi”. Delphi is an ancient Greek city with the meaning “womb”. It’s also believed to come from the Greek word delphís and possess the interpretation of “dolphin”.
Anne: This name is strongly associated with the Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, who resigned from 1702 to 1707 Queen Anne. The name Anne is ultimately rooted in Hebrew Hannah, meaning “grace” or “God has favored me”.
Claire: You might want to give this middle name to your baby as an inspiration for her to shine in her way. Claire is a French adjective for “clear”, “bright”, or “light-colored”. The phrase “clair de lune” translates to “light of the moon” in French.
Celeste: Celeste (pronounced suh-lest) is a Latin feminine name and signifies “heavenly” or “celestial”. Some famous people with Celeste as a middle name are Jessica Celeste Michibata (Japanese model), María Celeste Arrarás (Puerto Rican broadcast journalist), etc.
Amore: Name your girl Amore to show how much you adore her since Amore is the Latin word for “love”. This traditional and charming name can be given to both genders. Amore is written as Amour in French or Amor in Spanish, Portuguese, and Roman.
Elise: Elise is the French diminutive of Elizabeth, which originates in Hebrew and means “My God is abundance”, “My God is an oath”, or “God’s promise”. Für Elise is one of Beethoven’s most popular piano music compositions, discovered 40 years after his death.
Christine: It’s a female equivalent of Christian, rooted in the Latin Christianus. People explain its meaning as “a follower of Christ”, and it’s given in honor of Christ. Christine McVie is an English singer-songwriter who won two Grammy Awards for her devotion to music.

Marie In Popular Culture

Fictional characters named Marie appear in novels, video games, television series, etc. Let’s check them out here!

Marie Schrader: A radiologic technologist in the series Breaking Bad
Marie Cardona: The lover of the main character in the novel The Stranger
Marie Barone: The matriarch of the Barone family in the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond
Marie: A kitten in the Disney animated film The Aristocats
Marie Kanker: A blue hair cartoon animation girl in the animated series Ed, Edd n Eddy
Marie: A character in the third-person shooter video game Splatoon and its sequel Splatoon 2
Marie D’Ancanto or Rogue: A notable member of the X-Men in the films X-Men, X2: X-Men United, and X-Men: The Last Stand

Renowned People Named Marie

Besides Marie Antoinette, this name also has associations with many other royals and celebrities. Let’s see how many of them you recognize!

Marie de’ Medici (1575–1642): Queen of France and Navarre
Marie of Romania (1875–1938): The last Queen of Romania
Marie Gabrielle (1878-1912): Duchess of Bavaria
Princess Marie of Denmark (born 1976): The second wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark
Marie Wilson (1916–1972): American actress best known for her performance in My Friend Irma
Marie Windsor (1919-2000): American actress who performed in Force of Evil, The Killing, etc.
Marie McDonald (1923-1965): American actress and singer with the nickname “The Body Beautiful”
Marie Avgeropoulos (born 1986): Canadian actress and model who performed in the series The 100

FAQs

There are many interesting facts that you may not know about this name. Read my answers to some common questions to gain your knowledge about Marie.

Marie is a French variant of Mary, the name of the mother of Jesus recorded in the New Testament of the Bible. Saint Mary is also well-known as Virgin Mary, and the French would use the term Vierge Marie to indicate this title.

Besides Saint Mary, several characters also bear this name in the Bible. One of them is Mary Magdalene, whom Jesus cured of demons. She was one of Jesus’ followers and witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection.

Saint Marie of the Incarnation was an Ursuline nun of the French order. She came to New France (the French colonies on the North American continent) with the mission of establishing the Ursuline Order and spreading Catholicism.

The spiritual meaning of the name Marie, translated from the Hebrew language, is “rebellious”, “wished-for child”, “bitter”, “sea of bitterness”, or “sea of sorrow”.

Mary is the most common name compared to the other two in 2021. According to the Social Security Administration, it reached 133rd among the top 1000 most frequently picked names, while the ranks of Maryam and Marie are 541st and 600th.

Some explained that Marie used to be very popular in the last century. And people who bore this name at that time can now get old or descended. So, their descendants use Marie as a middle name to honor them today.

Marie – A Classic And Refined Name For Babies

The name Marie is simple but carries multiple meanings. Although it’s now not a very popular name, it’s still a musical-sounding and refined name for your babies-to-be. What do you think about this name? Leave a comment to let me know.

Don’t hesitate to help them by sharing this article with other parents who are still struggling to find a name for their children. Besides, tons of related articles are waiting for you to discover them. Goodbye, and see you later!

References

Campbell, M., 2022. Meaning, origin and history of the name Mary.
Social Security. 2022. Popularity of a Name.

Helen Doanna

Editor in Chief, Educational Specialist, and Senior Content Creator

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Child Development Specialist, Child-care Coordinator, Family Support Specialist, Content Writer, Communications Specialist, Educational Consultant, STEAM Teacher

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1. University of Social Science and Humanity, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Program: Bachelor’s degree in Faculty of Literature and Journalism
Focus: In-depth knowledge of Literature, knowledge and skills to perceive, create literature or work in related fields; Basic knowledge of communications.

2. University of Social Science and Humanity, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Focus: Different stages of development, from infancy to adulthood; Develop a strong foundation for a career in early childhood programs or classrooms; Learn strategies for supporting young children’s development in early childhood settings.

Helen is an experienced educational specialist and content creator, known for her innovative approach to children’s learning. With a background in literature and child development, she composes engaging educational content for SimpleKids.net. Her work emphasizes creativity, engagement, and simplicity, aiming to make learning enjoyable and accessible for children and their families.