Annemarie

Annemarie, or often rendered as Anne-Marie, is a compound name taken from two of the most common female names known to Western Civilization, i.e., Anne and Marie (Mary). As a female given name by itself, Annemarie was mainly a coinage by the Dutch and Germans (pronounced “ahn-nə-mah-REE”). The English typically say AN-ma-REE which emphasizes the two distinctly different names they are. Let’s start with Anne. Anne is basically the English form of the Latin Anna which itself comes from the Hebrew Hannah (Channah) meaning “grace, graciousness” in reference to the Biblical Hannah (mother of the prophet Samuel) whom God “graced” with a son. Marie is essentially the French form of Mary (Latin: Maria) which most etymologists universally agree was ultimately taken from the Hebrew Miriam (Moses’ sister who was born into Egyptian slavery). Her name is believed to be derived from the ancient Egyptian element “mry” meaning “beloved.” Of course, given the importance of Mary (Marie) in Christian tradition as the Blessed Virgin Mother, her name has taken on several folk etymologies such as “star of the sea” and “wished for child.” Finally, in Christian tradition, according to the Apocrypha, Anne was the mother of Mary (and so the grand-mother of Jesus), hence the importance of her name in Christianized Europe. So there you have it. Anne plus Marie equals “gracious and beloved.” Not too shabby as far as etymologies go. You get twice the bang for your buck with a name like Anne-Marie.