Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Mariah

The name Mariah is a fanciful spelling of Maria (influenced by the Hebrew female names ending in “ah” – Leah, Rebecca, for instance). Maria, in turn, is the Latin form of the English name Mary. Both Maria and Mary are derived from the New Testament name Miriam (Hebrew: Miryam), a name whose etymological origin is in question. There are varying opinions. For one, Miriam in the Old Testament could have been derived from the Egyptian “myr” meaning ‘beloved.’ The Hebrew elements “mar + yam” have been translated to ‘drop of the sea’ which was later altered to Mary’s epithet, Star of the Sea, bringing another meaning to the name: ‘strong waters.’

All About the Baby Name – Mariah

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME MARIAH

The number Five personality loves the excitement of life and can easily adapt to all situations. As natural adventurers, these personalities thrive on the new and unexpected and prefer to be in constant motion. It makes them feel alive. They'll stir up some action if there's not enough around, and as inherent risk-takers they enjoy pushing the envelope. Naturally rebellious, the Five personality has no fear and never resists change.  Traveling and new experiences feed their souls. Fives are very social and attract friends with ease. People love to be around the Five fun-loving and exciting energy.  This is also a lucky number in numerology (like the Threes), so fortune seems to shine on them, helped along by their own optimism and good-nature. Fives have a quick wit, a cerebral mind, and are generally very persuasive. 

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME MARIAH

Mariah has been on the U.S. popularity charts probably longer than you’d expect. It was a name in use at the turn of the 20th century, albeit in very low usage, and then it disappears from the charts altogether in 1912. The name reappears about 60 years later in the 1970s with lackluster results. But wait. Enter 1990 and 1991 – in two years, the name jumps almost 500 spots on the U.S. popularity charts. A pretty furious resurrection from the grave, we’d say! Clearly, the impetus was the break-out pop-singer Mariah Carey, who released her self-titled album in 1990 and her second album, “Emotions” in 1991. Fans across America showed their resounding appreciation for her lovely voice by naming their daughters Mariah. What better flattery? In any case, the name Mariah hasn’t done much else on the charts in the past 20 years except bounce around the latter end of the Top 100 list, averaging around position #85. The name has probably seen its heyday at this point. Still, it’s a beautiful variation of the staple names Mary and Maria.

Quick Facts

ON MARIAH

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

African-American

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

3

RANKING POPULARITY:

114

PRONUNCIATION:

ma-RYE-ah

SIMPLE MEANING:

Beloved, Drop of the sea, Strong waters

Characteristics

OF MARIAH

Freedom-loving

Adventurous

Adaptable

Intellectual

Easygoing

Progressive

Sensual

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Mariah

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME MARIAH

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Mariah

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME MARIAH

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Mariah


Popular Songs

ON MARIAH

They Call the Wind Mariah
a song by The Kingston Trio

Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)
a song by Mariah Carey

Big Black Mariah
a song by Tom Waits

Famous People

NAMED MARIAH

Mariah Carey (singer)

Children of Famous People

NAMED MARIAH

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Mariah

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME MARIAH

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Mariah