Mary (name)

Female given name

For other uses, see Mary (disambiguation).

Mary

The Glorification of Mary by Botticelli. The reverence for Mary, the mother of Jesus, is in large part responsible for the use of the name Mary and its variants.

Pronunciation| /ˈmɛəˌri/
Gender| Female
Name day| September 12
Origin
Word/name| Aramaic and Hebrew via Latin and Greek
Meaning| "bitter", "beloved", "rebelliousness", "wished-for child", "marine", "drop of the sea"
Other names
Related names| Maria, Maryam and other variants, such as Maya

Mary /ˈmɛəˌri/ is a feminine given name, the English form of the name Maria, which was in turn a Latin form of the Greek name Μαρία, María or Μαριάμ, Mariam, found in the Septuagint and New Testament. The latter reflects the original Hebrew pronunciation of the name מרים (Masoretic pronunciation Miryam), as attested by the Septuagint. The vowel "a" in a closed unaccented syllable later became "i", as seen in other names such as "Bil'am" (Balaam) and "Shimshon" (Samson).

## Etymology

[edit]

Further information: Miriam (given name)

The name may have originated from the Egyptian language; it is likely derivative of the root mr, meaning "love; beloved"[1] (compare mry.t-ymn, "Merit-Amun", i.e. "beloved of Amun").

The name was early etymologized as containing the Hebrew root mr, meaning "bitter" (cf. myrrh), or mry, meaning "rebellious". St. Jerome (writing c. 390), following Eusebius of Caesarea, translates the name as "drop of the sea" (stilla maris in Latin), from the Hebrew מר, mar, 'drop' (cf. Isaiah 40:15)[2] and ים, yam, 'sea'.

This translation was subsequently rendered stella maris ("star of the sea") due to scribal error, whence Our Lady's title Star of the Sea.[1]

Rashi, an 11th-century Jewish commentator on the Bible, wrote that the name was given to the sister of Moses because of the Egyptians' harsh treatment of Jews in Egypt. Rashi wrote that the Israelites lived in Egypt for 210 years, including 86 years of cruel enslavement that began at the time Moses' elder sister was born. Therefore, the girl was called Miriam, because the Egyptians made life bitter (מַר, mar) for her people.[3]

## Usage

[edit]

Main articles: Maria (given name), Maryam (name), and Maya (given name)

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Modern given names derived from Aramaic Maryam are frequent in Christian culture, as well as, due to the Quranic tradition of Mary, extremely frequently given in Islamic cultures.[4]

Possible use of Maria as a Christian given name is recorded for the third century.[5]

The English form Mary arises by adoption of French Marie into Middle English.

Wycliffe's Bible still has Marie, with the modern spelling current from the 16th century, found in the Tyndale Bible (1525), Coverdale Bible (1535) and later translations.

The name Maria was also given in Great Britain, with the traditional pronunciation of /məˈraɪə/ (occasionally reflected in the spelling variant Mariah).[year needed][6]

Mary is still among the top 100 names for baby girls born in Ireland,[7] common amongst Christians there and also popularised amongst Protestants specifically, with regard to Queen Mary II, co-monarch and wife of William III. Mary was the 179th most popular name for girls born in England and Wales in 2007, ranking behind other versions of the name.

In the United States, Mary was consistently the most popular name for girls from 1880 until 1961. It first fell below the top 100 most popular names in 2009. By contrast, the latinate (especially Spanish) form Maria rose into the top 100 in 1944, peaking at rank 31 in the 1970s, but also falling below rank 100 once again in 2012.

The name Mary remains more popular in the Southern United States than elsewhere in the country. Mary was the 15th most popular name for girls born in Alabama in 2007,[8] the 22nd most popular name for girls born in Mississippi in 2007,[8] the 44th most popular name for girls in North Carolina,[8] the 33rd most popular name for girls in South Carolina,[8] and the 26th most popular name for girls in Tennessee.[8]

Mary was still the most common name for women and girls in the United States in the 1990 census.[9]

Based on data from the Social Security Administration, Mary is the seventh most common given name in the United States, with 2.16 million individuals bearing this name as of 2023. [10]

Mariah had a short-lived burst of popularity after 1990, when singer Mariah Carey first topped the charts, peaking at rank 62 in 1998.[11]

Molly, a pet form, was ranked as the 29th most popular name there and spelling variant Mollie at No. 107; Maria was ranked at No. 93; Maryam was ranked at No. 116 as of 2007.[12]

## People

[edit]

### Biblical figures

[edit]

* New Testament people named Mary:
* Mary, mother of Jesus
* Mary Magdalene, a disciple of Jesus
* Mary of Bethany, a follower of Jesus, considered by Western medieval tradition to be Mary Magdalene
* Mary of Clopas, a follower of Jesus
* Mary, mother of James the younger (or lesser)
* Mary, mother of John Mark
* Mary of Rome
* Salome (disciple), a follower of Jesus, in medieval tradition Mary Salome

### Royalty

[edit]

* Baroness Mary Vetsera (1871–1889), Austrian noblewoman; mistress of Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria
* Lady Mary Butler (1689–1713), Irish-born English baroness; second daughter of the 2nd Duke of Ormonde
* Lady Mary Fitzwilliam (1845–1921), British aristocrat from the Fitzwilliam family
* Lady Mary Fox (1798–1864), British illegitimate daughter of King William IV of the United Kingdom by his mistress Dorothea Jordan
* Lady Mary Lygon (1910–1982), British aristocrat and Russian princess by marriage
* Mary Abercromby, 1st Baroness Abercromby (ca. 1752–1821), Scottish peeress, socialite, and wife of General Ralph Abercromby
* Mary Adelaide, several people
* Mary of Anjou, several people
* Mary Boleyn (c. 1499–1543), English sister of Queen Anne Boleyn
* Mary Brandon, several people
* Mary Bruce (c. 1282–1323), younger sister of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots
* Mary Bruce, Countess of Elgin (1778–1855), Scottish first wife of diplomat Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin
* Mary Carew Pole (born 1936), British wife of Sir Richard Carew Pole, 13th Baronet
* Mary Curzon, several people
* Mary of Waltham (1344–1361), daughter of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault; wife of John IV, Duke of Brittany
* Mary of Woodstock (1278–1332), daughter of King Edward I of England
* Mary I (disambiguation), several people
* Mary II (disambiguation), several people
* Mary de Bohun (c. 1369/1370–1394), first wife of Henry Bolingbroke, Earl of Northampton and Hereford; mother of Henry V of England
* Mary de Vere (c. 1554–1624), English noblewoman; daughter of John de Vere and Margery Golding, she married Peregrine Bertie
* Mary Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, Countess of Minto (1858–1940), British aristocrat, Vicereine of India, and courtier to Queen Mary
* Mary Elphinstone, Lady Elphinstone (1883–1961), British aristocrat; elder sister of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and maternal aunt and godmother of Queen Elizabeth II
* Mary of Enghien (1367/1370–1446), Italian Countess of Lecce
* Mary Eristavi (1888–1986), Russian aristocrat, fashion icon, and model
* Mary Fiennes, Baroness Dacre (1524–1576), English daughter of George Neville, 5th Baron Bergavenny
* Mary FitzRoy, Duchess of Richmond and Somerset (c. 1519–1557), daughter-in-law of King Henry VIII of England
* Mary Fleming (1542–fl. 1584), Scottish noblewoman; childhood companion and cousin of Mary, Queen of Scots
* Mary Foley-Berkeley, 17th Baroness Berkeley (1905–1992), British politician and peeress
* Mary Fox, Baroness Holland (1746–1778), British daughter of John FitzPatrick; wife of Stephen Fox, 2nd Baron Holland
* Mary Grey, several people
* Mary of France, several people
* Mary of Guise (1515–1560), Queen consort of James V of Scotland and mother of Mary, Queen of Scots
* Mary of Hungary (disambiguation), several people
* Mary of Lancaster (c. 1320/1321–1362), English daughter of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster and Maud Chaworth
* Mary Lilian Henriette Lucie Josephine Ghislaine Baels, birth name of Lilian, Princess of Réthy (1916–2002), second wife of King Leopold III of Belgium
* Mary Knowlton von Francken-Sierstorpff (1870–1929), American socialite who married a German Count
* Princess Mary of England (1605–1607), daughter of James VI and I
* Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange (1631–1660), daughter of Charles I of England
* Mary of England, several people
* Mary of Great Britain, several people
* Mary of Baux-Orange (?–1417), French Princess of Orange
* Mary of Scotland, several people
* Mary of Teck (disambiguation), several people
* Mary of York (1467–1482), daughter of King Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville
* Mary Donaldson (born 1972), Queen consort of Frederik X of Denmark
* Mary Thicknesse-Touchet, 22nd Baroness Audley (1858–1942), English baroness
* Mary, Viscount of Béarn (?–after 1187), French ruler

### Non-royal aristocrats

[edit]

* Daisy, Princess of Pless (Mary Theresa Olivia; née Cornwallis-West; 1873–1943), Welsh princess
* Lady Mary Cecil Grey (1907–2002), English daughter of Charles Grey, 5th Earl Grey
* Lady Mary Coke (1727–1811), English noblewoman
* Lady Mary Gilmour (1896–1984), English daughter of James Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn
* Lady Mary Grosvenor (1910–2000), British motor racing- and rally driver, businesswoman, and landowner; daughter of Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster and Constance Cornwallis-West
* Lady Mary Feilding (1823–1896), English aristocrat
* Lady Mary Somerset of Worcester, English daughter of nobleman and politician Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester
* Lady Mary Trefusis (1869–1927), English hymnwriter and courtier
* Mary Arabella Stewart, Countess of Galloway (1850–1903), Scottish wife of Alan Stewart, 10th Earl of Galloway
* Mary Bertie, Duchess of Ancaster and Kesteven (1730–1793), British courtier; second wife of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven
* Mary Blacknall (1616–1650), English wife of Sir Ralph Verney, 1st Baronet, of Middle Claydon
* Mary Bonaparte (1870–1947), French princess
* Mary Bowes, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne (1749–1800), English daughter and heiress of Sir George Bowes
* Mary Boyle, Countess of Cork and Orrery (1746–1840), Anglo-Irish literary hostess
* Mary Butler, Duchess of Ormonde (1664–1733), British second wife of James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde
* Mary Campbell, Countess of Argyll (1628–1668), Scottish wife of Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll
* Mary Campbell, Countess of Breadalbane and Holland, English noblewoman
* Mary Caroline Blair (1848–1912), British Duchess
* Mary Cavendish, several people
* Mary Constance Wyndham (1862–1937), English society hostess and countess
* Mary, Countess of Blois (1200–1241), daughter of Walter of Avesnes and Margaret of Blois
* Mary, Countess of Falmouth and Dorset (1645–1679), English courtier and mistress of Charles II of England
* Mary, Countess of Harold (1701–1785), English aristocrat and philanthropist
* Mary Cowper (1685–1724), English countess, courtier, and diarist; wife of William Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper
* Mary Cromwell, Countess Fauconberg (1630s–1713), English noblewoman
* Mary Darcy (1565–1644), English baroness; wife of Thomas Darcy, 1st Earl Rivers
* Mary Darcy, Countess of Holderness (c. 1721–1801), English countess; wife of Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness
* Mary Dawson, Countess of Dartrey (1854–1939), British peer
* Mary de Monthermer (1297–c. 1371), English noblewoman
* Mary Drummond (1675–1729), Scottish countess; daughter of James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth
* Mary Dudley (disambiguation), several people
* Mary Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, Countess of Minto (1858–1940), British aristocrat
* Mary Fane, several people
* Mary Fenwick (?–1708), English wife of Sir John Fenwick, 3rd Baronet
* Mary Fiennes (lady-in-waiting) (1495–1531), English courtier; wife of Henry Norris
* Mary Fitton (1578–1647), Elizabethan gentlewoman; maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth
* Mary FitzAlan (1540–1557), English noblewoman; wife of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk
* Mary FitzMaurice, 4th Countess of Orkney (1755–1831), Scottish peer; daughter of Murrough O'Brien, 1st Marquess of Thomond and Mary O'Brien, 3rd Countess of Orkney
* Mary Forbes, Countess of Granard (?–1797), Irish countess; wife of George Forbes, 3rd Earl of Granard
* Mary Fox-Strangways, Countess of Ilchester (1852–1935), Anglo-Irish noblewoman
* Mary Freeman-Grenville, 12th Lady Kinloss (1922–2012), British peer
* Mary Gargrave (1576–c. 1640), English courtier to Anne of Denmark
* Mary Goelet (1878–1937), American-born Scottish duchess, heiress, and socialite
* Mary Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn (1848–1929), English aristocrat
* Mary Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe (1915–2014), British aristocrat
* Mary Jane Brabazon, Countess of Meath (1847–1918), British philanthropist; daughter of Amelia, Countess of Lauderdale, and Thomas Maitland, 11th Earl of Lauderdale
* Mary Louisa Bruce, Countess of Elgin (1819–1898), British aristocrat and writer
* Mary Montagu, several people
* Mary of Avesnes (1280–1354), French daughter of John II, Count of Holland and Philippa of Luxembourg; brother of William I, Count of Hainaut
* Mary of Bourbon (1515–1538), French daughter of Charles, Duke of Vendôme, and Françoise d'Alençon
* Mary of Guelders (c. 1434–1463), daughter of Arnold, Duke of Guelders
* Mary of Burgundy (disambiguation), several people
* Mary of Lusignan, several people
* Mary of Nassau-Siegen (1418–1472), German countess
* Mary of Nassau-Siegen (1491–1547), German countess
* Mary Osborne, Duchess of Leeds (1723–1764), British daughter of Henrietta Godolphin, née Churchill, 2nd Duchess of Marlborough, and Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin
* Mary Rich, Countess of Warwick (1625–1678), English countess and writer
* Mary Trevelyan (Lady) (1881–1966), English political hostess and voluntary worker
* Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham (c. 1570–1632), English countess; mother of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
* Mary von Bothmer (1842–1901), English-German writer and aristocrat
* Mary von Rosen (1886–1967), Swedish Lutheran religious worker; wife of Count Eric von Rosen
* Mary von Waldersee (1837–1914), American-born German philanthropist; wife of Prince Frederick of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and Count Alfred von Waldersee
* Mary Waldegrave, Countess Waldegrave (1850–1933), British peeress
* Mary Watson-Wentworth, Marchioness of Rockingham (1735–1804), English wife of Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
* Mary Wood, Viscountess Halifax (1807–1884), English noblewoman
* Mary Woodhouse (?–1656), English daughter of Henry Woodhouse (MP)
* Mary Woodville (c. 1456–1481), English sister of Edward IV's Queen consort, Elizabeth Woodville, and of Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers; first wife of William Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
* Mary Wriothesley, Countess of Southampton (1552–1607), wife of Henry Wriothesley, 2nd Earl of Southampton; mother of Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton

### Others

[edit]

* Mary (slave) (died 1838), an American teenage slave executed for murder
* Mary Abbott (artist) (1921–2019), American artist
* Mary Abbott (golfer) (1857–1904), American golfer
* Mary Bethune Abbott (1823–1898), wife of Sir John Abbott, the third Prime Minister of Canada
* Mary Bolton (addiction counsellor) (1920-1996), Irish counsellor and (non-clinical) psychotherapist
* Mary Ogden Abbott (1894–1981), American artist, traveler and equestrian
* Mary Adams (activist) (born 1938), tax activist who led the repeal of Maine's statewide property tax and efforts to enact a Taxpayer Bill of Rights
* Mary Adams (actress) (1910–1973), American actress
* Mary Adams (broadcaster) (1898–1984), administrator who helped to develop the BBC's television service in the 1950s
* Mary Adams (codebreaker) (codebreaker, 1922–2010), Scottish interceptor for Bletchley Park during World War II
* Mary Adams (educator) (1823–1898), Canadian women's education reformer
* Mary Jane Adams (1840–1902), Irish poet
* Mary Kay Adams (born 1962), American television actress
* Mary Kawennatakie Adams (1917–1999), First Nations basketmaker
* Mary Newbury Adams (1837–1901), American women's suffragist and education advocate
* Mary Andross (1893–1968), Scottish chemist
* Mary Ajami (1888–1965), Syrian writer
* Mary Baker (painter) (1842–1856), English painter
* Mary Ann Baker (1831–1921), American composer and singer
* Mary E. Baker (1923–1995), African-American community activist
* Mary Landon Baker (1901–1961), American socialite and heiress famous for her romantic life
* Mary Lou Baker (1914–1965), member of the Florida House of Representatives and women's rights activist
* Bonnie Baker (baseball) (Mary Geraldine Baker, 1918–2003), American baseball player
* Mary Beard (classicist) (born 1955), English scholar of Ancient Rome
* Mary Ritter Beard (1876–1958), American historian, author, women's suffrage activist, and women's history archivist
* Mary Lincoln Beckwith (1898–1975), prominent descendant of Abraham Lincoln
* Mary Kay Bergman (1961–1999), American voice actress
* Mary Black (disambiguation)
* Mary E. Black (1895–1988), American-Canadian occupational therapist, teacher, master weaver and writer
* Mary J. L. Black (1879-1939), Canadian librarian and suffragist
* Mary Borgstrom (1916–2019), Canadian potter, ceramist, and artist
* Mary Brian (1906–2002), American actress and movie star
* Mary Bright (1954–2002), Scottish curtain designer
* Mary Lee Cagle (1864–1955), married name Mary Harris, pastor
* Mary Carey, Lady Carey (c. 1609 – c. 1680), author and poet
* Mary Clancy (born 1948), Canadian politician
* Mary L. Coloe (born 1949), biblical scholar
* Mary Ann Cooke (1784–1868), British missionary
* Mary Costa (born 1930), American opera singer and actress
* Mary Lincoln Crume (1775–c. 1832), aunt of American President Abraham Lincoln
* Moll Davis (c. 1648–1708), actress and mistress of Charles II of Great Britain
* Mary Davis (actress), American silent film actress
* Mary Davis (artist) (1866–1941), English artist
* Mary E. P. Davis (1840–1924), American nursing instructor
* Mary Davis (activist) (born 1954), Special Olympics organiser and candidate in the Irish presidential election, 2011
* Mary Bond Davis (born 1958), American singer, actor and dancer
* Mary Gould Davis (1882–1956), American author, librarian, storyteller and editor
* Mary Lund Davis (1922–2008), modernist architect
* Mary Davis, singer of the S.O.S. Band
* Mary Deros, Canadian politician
* Mary Dinah, Nigerian activist
* Mary Dixon-Woods, social scientist
* Mary East (c. 1716–1780), English tavern owner
* Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910), born Mary Baker, founder of Christian Science
* Mary Fowler (soccer) (born 2003), Australian footballer
* Mary Fuller (1888–1973), American Silent Film Actress
* Mary Fuller (sculptor) (1922–2022), American sculptor and art historian
* Mimi Gardner Gates (born 1943), American art historian who is the recent director of the Seattle Art Museum, stepmother of Bill Gates
* Mary Maxwell Gates (1929–1994), American businesswoman, executive, civic activist, and school teacher, mother of Bill Gates
* Mary Gennoy (1951–2004), American activist
* Mary Grant (politician) (1928–2016), Ghanaian politician
* Mary Grant (sculptor) (1831–1908), British sculptor
* Mary E. Grant (born 1953), American psychiatric nurse and politician
* Mary Pollock Grant (1876–1957), Scottish suffragette, politician, missionary and policewoman
* Liz Grant (Mary Elizabeth Grant, born 1930), former Australian pharmacist and politician
* Mary Styles Harris (born 1949), geneticist
* Mel Harris (Mary Ellen Harris, born 1956), actress
* Mary Harris (musician), member of the music group Ambrosia
* Mary Packer Harris (1891–1978), Scottish artist and art teacher
* Mary Harris (cricketer), New Zealand cricketer
* Mary Winifred Harris, Clerk of the New Zealand House of Representatives
* Mary Harris (murderer), American murderer
* Mary Harron (b. 1953), Canadian film director and screenwriter
* Mary Harron (actress), silent film era actress, sister of Harrons John and Robert also silent era actors
* Mary Henderson (journalist) (1919–2004), Greek-born British journalist and host
* Mary H. J. Henderson (1874–1938), administrator with World War I Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service
* Mary Dorothea Heron (c. 1897–1960), first woman to be admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Ireland
* Mary MacLean Hindmarsh, Australian botanist
* Mary Hinton (actress) (1896–1979), British actress
* Mary Dana Hinton, American university administrator
* Mary Hilliard Hinton (1869–1961), American historian, painter, and anti-suffragist
* Mary Hobson (1926–2020), British writer, poet and translator
* Mary Hobson (curler), American curler
* Mary Hodder (born 1945), Canadian politician
* Sister Mary Melanie Holliday (1850–1939), American Catholic nun
* Mary Hottinger (1893–1978), Scottish translator and author
* Mary Ann Hutton (1862–1953), Irish language scholar and writer
* Mary Ingalls (1865–1928), older sister of author Laura Ingalls Wilder
* Mary E. Ireland (1834–1927), American author, translator, poet
* Mamie Lincoln Isham (1869–1938), granddaughter of Abraham Lincoln
* Mary Jackson (Richmond Bread Riot) (c. 1829 – c. 1870), leader of Richmond Bread Riot of 1863
* Mary Anna Jackson (1831–1915), wife of Confederate Army general Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson
* Mary E. Jackson (1867–1923), African-American suffrage activist, YWCA leader and writer
* Mary Percy Jackson (1904–2000), Canadian medical doctor
* Mary Jackson (actress) (1910–2005), film and television actress
* Mary Jackson (engineer) (1921–2005), NASA engineer
* Mary Ann Jackson (1923–2003), child actress
* Mary Jackson (artist) (born 1945), African-American fiber artist
* Mary M. Jackson (fl. 1980s–2010s), American Navy vice admiral
* Mary Jemison (1743–1833), British frontierswoman
* Mary Jerrold (1877–1955), English actress
* Mary Johnson (first lady) (c. 1830–1887), first lady of California
* Mary Johnson (actress) (1896–1975), Swedish silent film performer
* Mary Johnson (singer) (1898–1983), African American lowdown blues singer
* Mary Johnson (cricketer) (1924–2017), English cricketer
* Mary Lea Johnson (1926–1990), American theatrical producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist
* Mary Johnson (born 1948), American advocate for disability rights; founded Ragged Edge magazine
* Mary Johnson (writer) (born 1958), American writer and Director of A Room of Her Own Foundation
* Mary Johnson (politician), member of the North Dakota House of Representatives
* Mary C. Johnson, one of the first three females to practice law in Georgia
* Mary Jane Richardson Jones, American suffragist and activist from Chicago
* Mary Lakeland (died 1645), English woman executed for witchcraft
* Mary Lee (1921–2022), Scottish singer
* Mary Johnson Bailey Lincoln (1844–1921), American science teacher
* Mary Harlan Lincoln (1846–1937), daughter of James Harlan, wife of Robert Todd Lincoln, daughter-in-law of Abraham Lincoln
* Mary Todd Lincoln (1818–1882), former First Lady of the United States, wife of Abraham Lincoln
* Mary Johnson Lowe (1924–1999), American jurist
* Mary McGee (disambiguation)
* Mary Madison (born 1950), American politician
* Mary Martin (1913–1990), American actress and singer
* Mary Baker McQuesten (1849–1934), Canadian activist
* Maybelle Stephens Mitchell (Mary Isabel Stephens Mitchell; 1872–1919), American suffragist
* Mary Money (died 1905), English female murder victim
* Mary Morton (1879–1965), British sculptor
* Mary K. Okheena (born 1957), Inuvialuit graphic artist
* Mary-Kate Olsen (born 1986), American fashion designer and former child actress
* Mary Paischeff (1899–1975), Finnish ballerina
* Mary Engle Pennington (1872-1952), American bacteriological chemist and refrigeration engineer
* Mary Felicia Perera (born 1944), Sri Lankan Sinhala cinema actress
* Mary Phagan (1899–1913), American murder victim
* Mary Pudlat (1923–2001), Canadian Inuk artist
* Mary Putnam (born 1988), inventor of the post-it note
* Mary Quigley (1960–1977), American murder victim
* Mary Quin, American businesswoman
* Mary Rambaran-Olm, specialist in the literature and history of early medieval England
* Mary Ramsey (born 1963), American singer-songwriter
* Mary Ramsey (died 1601), English philanthropist
* Mary Rice (wheelchair racer), Irish paralympic athlete
* Mary Roberts (author) (1788–1864), author, born London
* Mary Fanton Roberts (1864–1956), American journalist
* Mary Helen Roberts (born 1947), American politician in the state of Washington
* Mary Wendy Roberts (born 1944), American politician in the state of Oregon
* Mary Louise Roberts (physiotherapist) (1886–1968), New Zealand masseuse, physiotherapist and mountaineer
* Mary Grant Roberts (1841–1921), Australian zoo owner
* Cokie Roberts (1943–2019), real name Mary Roberts, American journalist and author
* Mary Roos (born 1949), German singer
* Mary Scharlieb (1845–1930), British pioneer female physician and gynaecologist
* Mary Scheer (born 1963), American actress, comedian, screenwriter and producer
* Mary Anne Schwalbe (1934–2009), university administrator and refugee worker
* Mary Jane Seacole (1805–1881), British-Jamaican nurse, healer and businesswoman
* Mary Shelley (1797–1851), English novelist who wrote the Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus
* Mary Siezgle, American soldier
* Mary Silvani (1948–1982), American murder victim
* Mary Craig Sinclair (1882–1961), American writer and the wife of Upton Sinclair
* Mary Florence Wells Slater (1864–1941), American entomologist and schoolteacher
* Mary Lou Spiess (1931–1992), American designer of disabled fashion
* Mary Augusta Tappage (1888-1978), Shuswap-Métis elder, midwife, and storyteller
* Margaret Truman (Mary Margaret Truman, 1924–2008), only daughter of Harry S. Truman
* Mary Anne MacLeod Trump (1912–2000), mother of Donald Trump
* Mary L. Trump (born 1965), psychologist and author; niece of Donald Trump
* Mary Frances Tucker (1837–1902), American poet
* Mary Tuplin (1870—1887), Canadian female murder victim
* Mary van Kleeck (1883–1972), American social scientist and socialist
* Mary Burke Washington (1926–2014), American economist
* Mary Ball Washington (1708–1789), mother of U.S. President George Washington
* Mary Helen Washington, American literary scholar
* Mary L. Washington (born 1962), Maryland legislator
* Mary T. Washington (1906–2005), first African-American woman to be a certified public accountant in the United States
* Mary Woffington (1729–1811), Irish actress and socialite
* Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797), English writer and founding feminist philosopher
* Mary Ziegler (born 1982), American legal historian

### Fictional characters

[edit]

* Lady Mary Talbot, in the UK historical drama TV series Downton Abbey, played by Michelle Dockery
* Mary, in the UK science fiction TV programme Torchwood, played by Daniela Denby-Ashe
* Mary, in the 1923 US silent semi-autobiographical comedy film Mary of the Movies, played by Marion Mack
* Mary, in the 1917 UK silent drama film Mary Girl, played by Jessie Winter
* Mary, in the 2017 Canadian drama film Mary Goes Round, played by Aya Cash
* Mary (Ma Li), in the 1992 Hong Kong film Mary from Beijing, played by Gong Li
* Mary Albright, in the US TV sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun, played by Jane Curtin
* Mary Alfyorov, in the 1926 Russian novel Mary
* Mary Anastasia O'Connor, the character Maisie Ravier's alter ego in the Maisie series of films
* Mary Andrews, Archie's mother in Archie Comics and Riverdale
* Mary Ann Patterson, in the US TV series Ghost Whisperer, played by June Squibb
* Mary Ann Summers, in the US sitcom Gilligan's Island, played by Dawn Wells
* Mary Anne Reynolds, in the 1987 US novel Mary and the Giant
* Mary Anne Spier, in Ann M. Martin's The Baby-Sitters Club series
* Mary Bailey (Jericho), in the US post-apocalyptic action drama TV series Jericho, played by Clare Carey
* Mary Bailey (The Simpsons), in the US animated sitcom The Simpsons, voiced by Maggie Roswell and Tress MacNeille
* Mary Bell, in the Japanese magical girl anime series Flower Witch Mary Bell, voiced by Chieko Honda
* Mary Bennet, Lizzie's sister in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
* Mary Bishop, in the US TV soap opera General Hospital, played by Catherine Wadkins
* Mary Bradburn, in the UK crime drama TV series Silent Witness, played by Diana Hardcastle
* Mary Burns, in the 1935 US drama film Mary Burns, Fugitive, played by Sylvia Sidney
* Mary Camden, in the US family drama TV series 7th Heaven, played by Jessica Biel
* Mary Cherry, in the US teen comedy-drama TV series Popular, played by Leslie Grossman
* Mary Cherry Chua, in the 2023 Philippine supernatural horror thriller film Mary Cherry Chua, played by Abby Bautista
* Mary-Claire Carter, in the UK medical drama TV series Holby City, played by Niamh McGrady
* Mary Connor, in the 1931 UK thriller film 77 Park Lane, played by Betty Stockfeld
* Mary Cooper, Sheldon's mother in Young Sheldon
* Mary Corleone, in the 1990 US epic crime film The Godfather Part III, played by Sofia Coppola
* Mary Crane, in the 1959 US horror novel Psycho
* Mary Crane, in the 1921 short story The Voyage
* Mary Crawford, in the 1814 novel Mansfield Park
* Mary Crosswire, in the animated TV series Arthur
* Mary Dahl, in the US animated superhero TV series Batman: The Animated Series, voiced by Alison La Placa
* Mary Daisy Dinkle, in the 2009 Australian adult stop-motion animated comedy-drama film Mary and Max, played by Toni Collette (Adult Mary) and Bethany Whitmore (Young Mary)
* Mary Darling, in Peter Pan
* Mary DeAngelis, in the US crime drama TV series The Sopranos, played by Suzanne Shepherd
* Mary Drake, in the US mystery teen drama TV series Pretty Little Liars, played by Andrea Parker
* Mary Driscoll, in the 1922 UK novel Ulysses
* Mary Elizabeth Bartowski, in the US action comedy spy drama TV series Chuck, played by Linda Hamilton
* Mary Flaherty, in the 2003 US sex comedy film American Wedding, played by Deborah Rush
* Mary Flaherty (EastEnders), in the UK TV soap opera EastEnders, played by Melanie Clark Pullen
* Mary Flynn, several characters
* Mary-Frances Sumner, in the US primetime TV soap opera Knots Landing, played by Stacy Galina
* Mary Goodnight, in the 1974 US spy film The Man with the Golden Gun, played by Britt Ekland
* Mary Goskirk, in the UK TV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Louise Jameson
* Mary Gray, in the 1926 US silent comedy film The American Venus, played by Esther Ralston
* Mary Grayson, in DC Comics
* Mary Grey, in the 1939 US comedy film 5th Ave Girl, played by Ginger Rogers
* Mary Harkinson, in the UK TV soap opera EastEnders, played by Mary Woodvine
* Mary Hartman, in the US satirical soap opera Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, played by Louise Lasser
* Mary Hatch Bailey, in the 1946 US Christmas supernatural drama film It's a Wonderful Life, played by Donna Reed (adult) and Jean Gale (child)
* Mary Jamison, in the US supernatural drama TV series The Leftovers, played by Janel Moloney
* Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker's main love interest in the Spider-Man comics
* Mary Katherine Blackwood, in Shirley Jackson's 1962 novel, We Have Always Lived in the Castle
* Mary Katherine Gallagher, in the US TV show Saturday Night Live, played by Molly Shannon
* Mary Lamb, in the 2023 US Christmas comedy-drama film The Holdovers, played by Da'Vine Joy Randolph
* Mary Lightly, in the US comedy-drama TV series Psych, played by Jimmi Simpson
* Mary Loomis, in the 1983 US psychological slasher film Psycho II, played by Meg Tilly
* Mary Lou Barebone, a character in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
* Mary Lou Collins, in the US TV sitcom The Larry Sanders Show, played by Mary Lynn Rajskub
* Mary Mae Ward, in the US TV soap opera General Hospital, played by Rosalind Cash
* Mary Margaret Blanchard, in the US fantasy adventure drama TV series Once Upon a Time, played by Ginnifer Goodwin and Bailee Madison
* Mary Marvel (a.k.a. Lady Shazam or Mary Shazam), superheroine in DC Comics
* Mary O'Connor, in the 1920 US drama film The Prince of Avenue A, played by Cora Drew
* Mary O'Connor, in the UK soap opera London Bridge, played by Simone Lahbib
* Mary Plain, anthropomorphic bear in Welsh author Gwynedd Rae's children's novels
* Mary Poppins, magical English nanny, played by Julie Andrews, Mary Wickes, Natalya Andreychenko, and Emily Blunt
* Mary Reid, in the UK TV soap opera Brookside, played by Carolyn Jordan
* Mary Richards, in the US TV sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show, played by Mary Tyler Moore
* Mary Rose, in the J.M. Barrie play Mary Rose
* Mary Russell, in the Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes mystery series
* Mary Sawyer, Tom Sawyer's cousin in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain
* Mary Shannon, in the US drama TV series In Plain Sight, played by Mary McCormack
* Mary Shaw, in the Canadian animated web series Mary and Flo On the Go!, voiced by Rebecca Liddiard
* Mary Smith, in the 2017 Japanese animated fantasy film Mary and the Witch's Flower, voiced by Hana Sugisaki (Japanese) and Ruby Barnhill (English)
* Mary Smith, in the 1921 UK silent drama film Mary-Find-the-Gold, played by Betty Balfour
* Mary Smythe, in the US TV soap opera All My Children, played by Anna Stuart
* Mary Thomas, in the US TV sitcom Frasier, played by Kim Coles
* Mary-Todd Holt, in the novel series The 39 Clues
* Mary Angela and Mary Therese Tribbiani, Joey Tribbiani's sisters in NBC sitcom Friends
* Mary Walker, in the US TV series Iron Fist, played by Alice Eve
* Mary Walker, the alter-ego of the comic book character Typhoid Mary (comics)
* Mary Watson (Morstan), a character in the Canon of Sherlock Holmes
* Mary Whitehead, in the 1969 US comedy film Angel in My Pocket, played by Lee Meriwether
* Mary Williams (The Young and the Restless), in the US TV soap opera The Young and the Restless, played by Carolyn Conwell
* Mary Williams, in the 1977 French western film Another Man, Another Chance, played by Jennifer Warren
* Mary Winchester, in the US TV drama series Supernatural, played by Samantha Smith, Amy Gumenick, and Meg Donnelly
* Mary Worth, several characters

## See also

[edit]

* All pages with titles beginning with Mary
* Mary Jo
* Marian (given name)
* Maya (given name)
* Máire
* Marion
* Muire
* Molly
* Polly
* Saint Mary (disambiguation)

## References

[edit]

### Citations

[edit]

1. ^ a b A. Maas, "The Name of Mary", The Catholic Encyclopedia (1912), citing Fr. von Hummelauer (in Exod. et Levit., Paris, 1897, p. 161)
2. ^ Isaiah 40:15
3. ^ Rashi. "Commentary on Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs)". p. 2:13. "From the time that Miriam was born, the Egyptians intensified the bondage upon Israel; therefore, she was called Miriam, because they made it bitter (מַר) for them."
4. ^ Patrick Hanks, Kate Hardcastle and Flavia Hodges (2006). A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198610602.
5. ^ See Iain Gardner, Alanna Nobbs and Malcolm Choat, "P. Harr. 107: Is This Another Greek Manichaean Letter?" Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 131 (2000), pp. 120f. JSTOR 20190663.
6. ^ Wallace (2004)
7. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Meaning, origin and history of the name Mary". Behind the Name. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
8. ^ a b c d e OACT. "Popular Baby Names". www.ssa.gov. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
9. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Popularity for the name Mary". Behind the Name. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
10. ^ "Wolfram Alpha: Mary". January 1, 2020. Archived from the original on August 2, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
11. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Popular Names in the United States". Behind the Name. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
12. ^ Baby Planners[permanent dead link]

### General sources

[edit]

* Rosenkrantz, Linda and Satran, Pamela Redmond (2005). Beyond Jennifer and Jason, Madison and Montana, Fourth Edition. St. Martin's Paperbacks. ISBN 0-312-94095-5.
* Todd, Loreto (1998). Celtic Names for Children. Irish American Book Company. ISBN 0-9627855-6-3.
* Wallace, Carol (2004). The Penguin Classic Baby Name Book. Penguin. ISBN 0-14-200470-7.
* Wood, Jamie Martinez (2001). ¿Cómo te llamas, Baby? Berkley. ISBN 0-425-17959-1.

*[c.]: circa
*[fl.]: [[floruit]]