Etymograph

English

Mary

Mary comes from Middle English Marie, and goes back to Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָם.

  1. Biblical Hebrewc. 1000–200 BCEמִרְיָםmiryɔm
  2. Aramaicc. 1000 BCE–700 CEמרים
  3. Koine Greekc. 300 BCE–600 CEΜᾰρῐ́ᾱMărĭ́ā
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEMarīa
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400Marie
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1611Mary

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Biblical Hebrewc. 1000–200 BCEמִרְיָםmiryɔm
  2. Aramaicc. 1000 BCE–700 CEמרים
  3. Koine Greekc. 300 BCE–600 CEΜᾰρῐ́ᾱMărĭ́ā
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEMarīa
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400Marie
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1611Mary

Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “Now the birth of Jeſus Chriſt was on this…”

The story

From Middle English Marie, from Old French Marie, from Latin Maria, from Ancient Greek Μαρία (María), Μαριάμ (Mariám), from post-Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic מַרְיָם (Maryām), from Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryām), of uncertain meaning.uncertain The source flags this step as uncertain. (See the Hebrew entry for more.)

Linked words

through Old French Marie

marry, marionette, 1 more

Another origin of Mary

  1. Classical Persianc. 900–presentمَرْوmarw
  2. TurkmenmodernMary
  3. Englishtodaysame form

Today it means

name A female given name from Aramaic or Hebrew.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָם / Mary

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