Marie is often used as a girl name. Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Marie.

Marie is a traditional French name believed to have several meanings.

In France, Marie came from the Latin stella maris, which means "star of the sea." However, it is also a biblical name because it is the French version of the name Mary, the holy virgin mother of Jesus.

There are also five other women named Mary in the Bible, including Mary Magdalene, one of Christ's favored followers, which is why the name was once considered too holy to use until late in the Middle Ages.

The name Marie also has Hebrew origins as it is derived from Miryam, which is believed to come from the Egyptian element myr, meaning "beloved." Miryam is also the biblical name of Moses's sister from the book of Exodus and is believed to mean "rebellious" and "wished-for child."

There have been other etymological meanings ascribed to the name Marie as well, including "drop of the sea" (from the Hebrew roots mar meaning "drop" and yam meaning "sea") and "bitter" (from the Hebrew marah meaning "bitterness").

Origin: Marie is the French version of the English name "Mary" and the Latin name "Maria." It also has Hebrew origins, derived from the name "Miriam" or "Miryam." The name Marie has long been popular in France, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Denmark, and Norway, but it didn't appear in English until the 19th century.
Gender: Marie has historically been a feminine name. However, it has often been used as a masculine compound name in France (for example Jean-Marie or François-Marie), especially in Catholic families.
Pronunciation: Muh-ree

Editor's Note

Although many baby names are separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best.

How Populate Is the Name Marie?

Marie has been a classic name throughout history. In the US, it was the seventh most popular name in 1901 and it remained a top 15 name until 1925. While its popularity has decreased ever since, it was a top 100 name until 1958.

Name Variations

The name Marie has been around for centuries and as one of the most important biblical names, it has a variation in almost every language including:

Maria (Latin)
Mary (English)
Mare (Irish)
Maree (Irish)
Marrie (French)
Marye (French)
Mariah (Hebrew)
Maire (Irish, Latin)
Mariel (Danish)
Marielle (Dutch)
Mariane (German)
Mariette (French)
Marietta (French)
Marianne (French, Greek)
Mariana (Latin)
Marion (French, Latin)
Marian (Czech)
Mara (Hebrew)
Miryam (Hebrew, Tiberian)
Miriam (Hebrew)
Maryam (Arabic, Hebrew)

Similar Names

If you love the name Marie but want to explore other similar names, here are some suggestions.

Other girls' names beginning with "M" include:

Other French girls' names include:

One of the most famous Marie's in history was Marie Curie, a female scientist who discovered polonium and radium in 1898 with her husband. She won the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics for discovering radioactivity with her husband and the 1911 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for isolating pure radium.

Marie Curie, scientist and two-time Nobel Prize recipient
Marie Antoinette, Queen of France until 1793
Marie Louise Marguerite Belèze, a French botanist, taxonomist and explorer
Marie Robinson Wright, an American travel writer and journalist

Marie de France, the earliest known French poet who wrote in the 12th century
Marie Kondo, Japanese author, organizing consultant, and star of the Netflix show Tidying Up With Marie Kondo
Marie Lu, American young adult author best known for the dystopian "Legend " series of novels

Marie Avgeropoulos, Canadian actress and model known for her roles in the TV series The 100 and the film I Love You, Beth Cooper
Marie Fredriksson, Swedish pop singer-songwriter
Marie Osmond, American actress, singer, philanthropist, author, and talk show host
Marie Windsor, an American actress known for her femme fatale characters in classic film noir movies such as Force of Evil and The Narrow Margin
Marie McDonald, an American starlet and pin-up girl nicknamed "The Body" and known for her role in "The Body Beautiful"
Marie Wilson, an American radio, film, and television actress best remembered for her role in My Friend Irma

Marie Cardona, the lover of the main character Meursault in Albert Camus' novel The Stranger
Marie Barone, character in the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond
Marie, the white kitten and daughter of the protagonist in Disney's animated movie The Aristocats

Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options:

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Marie Name Meaning