Meanings
Miriam1
alternative Miryam
- biblicalThe sister of Moses and Aaron and the daughter of Amram and Jochebed.
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 15:20 - Synonym of Mary, mother of Jesus, chiefly in contexts emphasizing her historical or Jewish identity.
Synonyms: Mary, mother of Jesus, chiefly in contexts emphasizing her historical or Jewish identity
- A female given name from Hebrew.
Miriam2
- alternativeAlternative spelling of Meriam.
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounSynonym of Mary, mother of Jesus, chiefly in contexts emphasizing her historical or Jewish identity.
Origin
- Aramaicמרים“bitter”
- Hebrewמִרְיָם
- EnglishMiriam
From Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), possibly from Aramaic מרים (Maryām, “bitter”), from a root מר (m-r) meaning "to be bitter". The meaning of this name which is the Old Testament equivalent of Mary has been debated for centuries. Some other explanations are mutiny / rebellion / disobedience from a root מרי (m-r-y).
More words from Hebrew, Aramaic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic مَرْيَم, مَرْيَم
- مَرْيَم (maryam)sister of Moses and Aaron
- مَرْيَم (maryam)female given name
Catalan Míriam
- Míriamfemale given name
Chinese Cantonese 米利暗
- 米利暗sister of Moses and Aaron
Chinese Mandarin 米利暗
- 米利暗 (Mǐlì'àn)sister of Moses and Aaron
Czech Miriam
- Miriamfemale given name
Danish Mirjam, Miriam
- Mirjamsister of Moses and Aaron
- Miriamfemale given name
- Mirjamfemale given name
Dutch Mirjam, Miriam
- Mirjamsister of Moses and Aaron
- Miriamfemale given name
- Mirjamfemale given name
- Myriamfemale given name
Estonian Mirjam, Mirjam
- Mirjamsister of Moses and Aaron
- Mirjamfemale given name
Finnish Mirjam, Mirjami
- Mirjamsister of Moses and Aaron
- Mirjamifemale given name
French Miryam, Myriam
- Miryamsister of Moses and Aaron
- Myriamfemale given name
German Miriam, Mirjam
- Miriamsister of Moses and Aaron
- Mirjamsister of Moses and Aaron
- Miriamfemale given name
- Mirjamfemale given name
Greek Μαρία
- Μαρία (María)sister of Moses and Aaron
Hawaiian Miriama, Miliama
- Miriamasister of Moses and Aaron
- Miliamafemale given name
Hebrew מִרְיָם, מִרְיָם
- מִרְיָם (mir'yám)sister of Moses and Aaron
- מִרְיָם (mir'yám)female given name
Hindi मरियम, मरियम
- मरियम (mariyam)sister of Moses and Aaron
- मरियम (mariyam)female given name
Indonesian Mariam
- Mariamfemale given name
Italian Miriam
- Miriamfemale given name
Latin Maria
- Mariasister of Moses and Aaron
Māori Miriama, Miriama
- Miriamasister of Moses and Aaron
- Miriamafemale given name
Norwegian Mirjam, Miriam
- Mirjamsister of Moses and Aaron
- Miriamfemale given name
- Mirjamfemale given name
Portuguese Miriã, Miriam
- Miriãsister of Moses and Aaron
- Miriamfemale given name
Russian Мириа́м, Мариа́мна
- Мириа́м (Miriám)sister of Moses and Aaron
- Мариа́мна (Mariámna)female given name
- Мари́я (Maríja)female given name
- Ма́рья (Márʹja)female given name
Spanish María, Miriam
- Maríasister of Moses and Aaron
- Miriamsister of Moses and Aaron
- Míriamfemale given name
- Mirianfemale given name
- Míryamfemale given name
- Miryanfemale given name
- Maríafemale given name
Swahili Mariamu
- Mariamufemale given name
Swedish Mirjam, Mirjam
- Mirjamsister of Moses and Aaron
- Mirjamfemale given name
- Miriamfemale given name
Turkish Meryem, Meryem
- Meryemsister of Moses and Aaron
- Meryemfemale given name
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with Miriam
Cite this entry
Miriam. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Miriam
“Miriam.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Miriam. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Miriam,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Miriam.
Source: Miriam on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.