Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Mary or Miriam?

37 replies

Firebird83 · 21/12/2022 23:50

Which do you prefer?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
PrimarilyParented · 22/12/2022 00:07

Miriam, it has a lot more nick-names (Miri, Mimi, Mim, Riri etc.) and is less common globally than Mary, though I appreciate Mary is not overly common as a girls name in large parts of the UK.

walkinthewoodstoday · 22/12/2022 00:10

Miriam

staherts · 22/12/2022 00:11

Mary. Think it’s due a resurgence

OrangePomander · 22/12/2022 00:12

Miriam is lovely.

urbanbuddha · 22/12/2022 00:16

Mary, don’t like Miriam.
How about Mariam?

DramaAlpaca · 22/12/2022 01:21

Mary. It's so simple and pretty.

Rickandmortified100 · 22/12/2022 05:42

love both but would probably go for Mary because it’s so sweet and classic and strong and pretty and just wonderful in every way!

Babyitscoooldoutside · 22/12/2022 05:46

Dislike both, sorry.

Weewillywinki · 22/12/2022 05:47

Mary is just so solid, though. So many brilliant Marys!!!

Snugglemonkey · 22/12/2022 05:47

Miriam

SkinnyFatte · 22/12/2022 05:54

Miriam nn Mimi.
I also like Mary it's a family name and we're have many derivatives like Maria, Marie, etc over the generations.

VenusClapTrap · 22/12/2022 08:15

Love both. Sorry not helpful!

toastofthetown · 22/12/2022 08:16

Miriam.

IToldYouAmillionTimesAlready · 22/12/2022 08:18

Neither, but Mary is slightly better than Miriam.

Miriam Margolyes = horrible woman

LolaSmiles · 22/12/2022 08:21

Prefer Miriam over Mary, but like Maria as an alternative to Mary.

Lesserspottedmama · 22/12/2022 08:32

Mary just sounds so lovely when you say it.

dontdarepokethebear · 22/12/2022 08:36

Mary

YooniqueMe · 22/12/2022 09:01

Mary because I dislike names ending in m.

Notonyournellykelly · 22/12/2022 09:29

I prefer Mary, but I think Miriam sounds more current somehow. Mia is a shortening for Miriam and is quite a common name, so Miriam seems to fit with more modern names. Mary is more unusual and old fashioned, but I love it

KirstenBlest · 22/12/2022 12:51

Mary. I like both but don't like Mimi, Miri etc

LazyDoll · 22/12/2022 12:53

Most definitely NOT Miriam and that’s 100% not because it may or may not be my own name and I’ve NEVER met another and LOVE that!!!!😉😆

LazyDoll · 22/12/2022 12:54

Also I’ve never before heard Mia being a shortened form of Miriam 🤔

emmathedilemma · 22/12/2022 13:32

Mary

KirstenBlest · 22/12/2022 14:38

@LazyDoll , Mia is a famous actress, whose real name is Maria. Miriam and Maria has the same origin, so maybe it could be used as a diminutive. Mia has been overused though.

OverCCCs · 22/12/2022 14:46

Even though they have the same meaning, I don’t see them as closely interchangeable like say, Mary and Maria are.

I associate Miriam with someone with Jewish heritage, or possibly descends parts of the Mediterranean. Stereotypically, I’d envision someone with dark hair and dark eyes, maybe olive skin. I’d find it an odd choice on someone who’s, say, 100% Norwegian.

Swipe left for the next trending thread