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Miriam (given name)
Encyclopedia
Miriam is an ancient female Hebrew
given name
(מִרְיָם) that has taken on many other forms in other languages and cultures, including the English name Mary
.
is called Miriam.
The origin of the is not clear. It may mean "wished-for child", "bitter", "rebellious" or "strong waters". Alternatively, bearing in mind that many Levite
names are Egyptian, it might be derived from an Egyptian word myr "beloved" or mr "love", or even the derived ancient Egyptian name Meritamen
or "Merit-Amun", "beloved of Amun".
Mary
, the mother of Jesus
, bore a Judeo-Aramaic variant of this name, Maryām (מרים). In the New Testament
of the Bible, written in Greek
, her name is transformed to Mariam (Μαριάμ) or Maria. Several other women in the New Testament, including Mary Magdalene
, are called by the same name. Because of Mary's great significance to two other world religions, variants of her name are often given to girl children in both Christian
and Islam
ic cultures. In the Quran, Mary's name assumed the Arabic
form Maryam
(مريم), which has also passed into other languages. The Greek variant Maria passed into Latin and many modern European languages.
Variants of the name include Mary
, Myriam, Mirjam
, Maria, Mariam, Mira
and Miri
. In Israel
, "Mimi" is a common diminutive
.
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
(מִרְיָם) that has taken on many other forms in other languages and cultures, including the English name Mary
Mary (given name)
Mary is a feminine given name, the English form of the name Maria, which was in turn a Latin form of the Greek names Μαριαμ, or Mariam, and Μαρια, or Maria, found in the New Testament. Both New Testament names were forms of the Hebrew name מִרְיָם or Miryam.The usual meaning given by various...
.
Origin and variants
Its earliest appearance in writing may be in the biblical Book of Exodus, in which the elder sister of MosesMoses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
is called Miriam.
The origin of the is not clear. It may mean "wished-for child", "bitter", "rebellious" or "strong waters". Alternatively, bearing in mind that many Levite
Levite
In Jewish tradition, a Levite is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. When Joshua led the Israelites into the land of Canaan, the Levites were the only Israelite tribe that received cities but were not allowed to be landowners "because the Lord the God of Israel himself is their inheritance"...
names are Egyptian, it might be derived from an Egyptian word myr "beloved" or mr "love", or even the derived ancient Egyptian name Meritamen
Meritamen
Meritamen was a daughter and later Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Ramesses the Great.- Family :...
or "Merit-Amun", "beloved of Amun".
Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
, the mother of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, bore a Judeo-Aramaic variant of this name, Maryām (מרים). In the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
of the Bible, written in Greek
Koine Greek
Koine Greek is the universal dialect of the Greek language spoken throughout post-Classical antiquity , developing from the Attic dialect, with admixture of elements especially from Ionic....
, her name is transformed to Mariam (Μαριάμ) or Maria. Several other women in the New Testament, including Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
, are called by the same name. Because of Mary's great significance to two other world religions, variants of her name are often given to girl children in both Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic cultures. In the Quran, Mary's name assumed the Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
form Maryam
Maryam (name)
Maryam or Mariam is the Aramaic and Arabic name of Miriam the sister of Moses and of Mary the mother of Jesus |‘Īsā]]), mentioned in the Greek translation of the Tanakh or Old Testament known as the Septuagint, in the original Greek text of the New Testament, and in the original Arabic text of the...
(مريم), which has also passed into other languages. The Greek variant Maria passed into Latin and many modern European languages.
Variants of the name include Mary
Mary (given name)
Mary is a feminine given name, the English form of the name Maria, which was in turn a Latin form of the Greek names Μαριαμ, or Mariam, and Μαρια, or Maria, found in the New Testament. Both New Testament names were forms of the Hebrew name מִרְיָם or Miryam.The usual meaning given by various...
, Myriam, Mirjam
Mirjam
Mirjam is a given name , and may refer to:* Mirjam Melchers, Dutch cyclist* Mirjam Orsel, Dutch volleyball player* Mirjam Ott, Swiss curler* Mirjam Sterk, Dutch politician and Christian minister...
, Maria, Mariam, Mira
Mira (name)
Mira - is a feminine given name with varying meanings. It is related to the Latin words for "wonder" and "wonderful." In the various Slavic languages, it means "peace" and is often used as part of a longer name, such as Miroslava or Sławomira...
and Miri
Miri (disambiguation)
Miri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo.Miri may also refer to:peoples* Mising people ** Mishing language* Hill Miri peopletoponymy* Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia...
. In Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, "Mimi" is a common diminutive
Diminutive
In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
.
Famous people named Miriam
- Miriam, the sister of Moses
- Miriam (entertainer)Miriam (entertainer)Miriam Rivera is a Mexican transsexual woman who appeared on the reality television shows There's Something About Miriam and Big Brother Australia 2004...
(born c. 1981), Mexican transwoman who starred in There's Something About Miriam - Myriam Abdel HamidMyriam AbelMyriam Morea also known as Myriam Abel is a French singer of Algerian descent who rose to popularity after winning Nouvelle Star 3, the French version of Pop Idol, shown by M6....
(born 1981), French singer - Miriam Ben-PoratMiriam Ben-PoratMiriam Ben-Porat , née Shinezon is an Israeli jurist. She was a Supreme Court of Israel judge and the State Comptroller of Israel.-Early life:...
(born 1918), Israeli judge and state comptroller - Miriam Defensor Santiago (born 1945), Senator in the Philippines
- Miriam FlynnMiriam FlynnMiriam Flynn is an American voice actress and character actress. She is best known as Cousin Catherine in the National Lampoon's Vacation franchise. As a voice artist, she has been featured in The Land Before Time series, Taz-Mania as the title character's mother, Jean, Poil in The Spooktacular...
(born 1952), American voice artist and character actress - Myriam Fox-JerusalmiMyriam Fox-JerusalmiMyriam Fox-Jerusalmi is a French slalom canoer who competed from the 1980s to the late 1990s.-Career:She is Jewish...
(born 1961), French world champion slalom canoer - Miriam Gallardo (born 1968), Peruvian volleyball player
- Miriam Gonzalez (born 1977), Playboy playmate
- Myriam HernándezMyriam HernándezMyriam Raquel Hernández Navarro is a Chilean singer-songwriter and television presenter. She is known throughout Latin America for her romantic ballads.-Biography:Myriam Hernández began her career in the late 80's...
(born 1967), Chilean singer-songwriter and television presenter - Miriam LeslieMiriam LeslieMiriam Leslie was an American publisher and author. She was the wife of Frank Leslie and the heir to his publishing business which she developed into a paying concern from a state of precarious indebtedness....
(1828–1914), American author, publisher, woman suffrage advocate, and philanthropist - Miriam McDonaldMiriam McDonaldMiriam Katherine McDonald is a Canadian actress and occasional dancer. She is best known for playing Emma Nelson on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation.-Career:...
(born 1987) Canadian actress, star of Degrassi: The Next Generation - Miriam MakebaMiriam MakebaMiriam Makeba , nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist....
(born 1932), South African singer and activist - Myriam MarbeMyriam MarbeMyriam Marbe was a Romanian composer and pianist.Marbe received her first piano lessons from her mother, who was a pianist. She studied at the Bucharest Conservatory from 1944 to 1954, where she took classes in piano with Florica Musicescu and Silvia Capăţână, as well as in composition with Leon...
(1931–1997), Romanian composer - Miriam MargolyesMiriam MargolyesMiriam Margolyes, OBE is an English actress and voice artist. Her earliest roles were in theatre and after several supporting roles in film and television she won a BAFTA Award for her role in The Age of Innocence .-Early life:...
(born 1941), a British actress - Myriam Montemayor CruzMyriam Montemayor CruzMyriam Montemayor Cruz , better known as Myriam, is a Mexican recording artist, known for winning the first generation of La Academia.-Biography:...
(born 1981), a Mexican pop star known as "Myriam" - Miriam RamónMiriam RamónMiriam Elitsavet Ramón Duran is a retired female athlete from Ecuador, who competed in the race walking events. She represented her native country at the 1992 Summer Olympics.-Achievements:-External links:*...
(born 1973), Ecuadorian racewalker - Miriam ShavivMiriam ShavivMiriam Shaviv is the Foreign Editor of the Jewish Chronicle in London. She was previously the paper's Comment and Letters Editor.She is the former literary editor of the Jerusalem Post.-External links:...
(born 1976), literary editor of the Jerusalem Post - Miriam StockleyMiriam StockleyMiriam Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music in her home country. Her unique vocalese style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins' launched the "Adiemus" project with "Songs of Sanctuary", featuring...
(born 1962), English South African-born singer - Miriam StoppardMiriam StoppardMiriam Stoppard OBE , is a British doctor, author, television presenter and agony aunt.- Early life and medical career :...
(born 1937), British physician, author, television presenter, and agony aunt - Miriam ToewsMiriam ToewsMiriam Toews is a Canadian writer of Mennonite descent. She grew up in Steinbach, Manitoba and has lived in Montreal and London, before settling in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She moved to Toronto in 2009....
(born 1964), Canadian author - Miriam Yalan-ShteklisMiriam Yalan-ShteklisMiriam Yalan-Shteklis was an Israeli writer and poet famous for her children's books. Her surname, Yalan, was an acronym based on her father’s name, Yehuda Leib Nissan.-Biography:...
(1900–84), Israeli writer and poet - Miriam YeungMiriam YeungMiriam Yeung, RN, is a Hong Kong actress and Cantopop singer. Before entering the entertainment business, she was a registered nurse at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Hong Kong. She studied at the Holy Family Canossian College Kowloon...
(born 1974), Hong Kong singer-actress
Fictional characters
- Miriam bat Mordecai in The Roman Mysteries
- Miriam Blaylock in 1983 film The Hunger
- Miriam Leveirs in D.H. Lawrence's novel Sons and LoversSons and LoversSons and Lovers is a 1913 novel by the English writer D. H. Lawrence. The Modern Library placed it ninth on their list of the 100 best novels of the 20th century.-Plot introduction and history:...
- Miriam Pataki is a character from the cartoon Hey Arnold. She is the mother of Helga Pataki and Olga Pataki. Her husband was Robert (Bob) Pataki.
See also
- Maryam (name)Maryam (name)Maryam or Mariam is the Aramaic and Arabic name of Miriam the sister of Moses and of Mary the mother of Jesus |‘Īsā]]), mentioned in the Greek translation of the Tanakh or Old Testament known as the Septuagint, in the original Greek text of the New Testament, and in the original Arabic text of the...
- Miriam (disambiguation)Miriam (disambiguation)-In literature:* Miriam , a short story by Truman Capote* The woman with seven sons in Lamentations Rabbah, sometimes called "Miriam"-In music:* Miriam , an album by Jessi Colter...