The name Maria means of the sea or bitter. But it has been translated to mean other things such as beloved or rebellious. In Hebrew, it is considered a variation of the name Mary.
Maria is seen in both Latin and Scandinavian languages and even though it is not Norse in origin it is the name given to King Harald Sigurdsson’s daughter.
- Maria Name Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning of Maria: A form of Mary and means bitter.
- Pronunciation: Mah-ree-ah
- Gender: Female
How Popular is the Name Maria?
The name Maria has been in the top 100 girls’ names since the 1950s but in recent years its popularity has dropped. According to the Social Security Administration Data, Marias’ popularity has been dropping year after year since 2000. It fell out of the top 100 for the first time in 2012.
Variations of the Name Maria
If you are not 100% sold on the name Maria then choosing a variation of the name may be an option.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| Maree | Star of the sea | Latin |
| Marietta | Italian diminutive form of Mary | French |
| Marika | Form of Mary | Danish, Polish |
| Moriah | The hill country | Hebrew |
| Mayria | Star of the sea | Latin |
| Marie | A French form of Mary | French |
| Marialinda | Star of the sea | Latin |
Other Amazing Girls Names with Hebrew Origin
If you have your heart set on a name from a Latin language here are some amazing options.
| Name | Meaning |
| Delilah | Means delicate. |
| Eliza | Pledged to God. |
| Seraphina | Ardent or fiery. |
| Zara | Blooming flower and God remembers. |
| Ayla | Oak tree, halo, or moonlight. |
| Evie | Diminutive form of Eve and means life. |
| Elizabeth | Pledged to God. |
Alternative Girl Names Starting with ‘M’
If you are set on choosing a name that begins with the letter ‘M’, here are some alternatives to Maria that may fit the bill.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| Malia | Of the sea | Polynesian |
| Marlene | A variant of Madeline | German |
| Melita | Means honey-sweet | Greek |
| Mercedes | Means mercies | Spanish |
| Mimi | Diminutive form of Miriam | French |
| Maya | Means water | Greek mythology |
| Molly | Means bitter | Hebrew |
Famous People Named Mia
As a name that has been so popular in both the US and abroad it is no surprise that there is a wealth of famous people with the name Mia. Here are a few of those famous people bearing the name Mia.
- Mia Hamm – American soccer player and Olympic gold medalist.
- Mia Martini – Italian singer and songwriter.
- Mia Pojatina – Croatian model and beauty queen.
- Mia Murray – Australian basketball player.
- Mia Tyler – Daughter of Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler.