Miriam
Hebrew Miryam, the name of Moses' sister. Its meaning is argued over; proposals include a root for bitterness and the Egyptian word mry, meaning beloved.
Miriam in 2025
Miriam was given to 1,262 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 525th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 2,627 babies born.
The history of Miriam
Miriam reached its highest point in 1924, when 1,834 babies were given the name, ranking 243rd that year. Its best-ever ranking was 235th, in 1917.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 118,190 babies have been named Miriam. Half of them were born before 1963, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Baby Boomers.
Miriam by decade
| Decade | Babies named Miriam | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 462 | 434 |
| 1890s | 1,397 | 298 |
| 1900s | 2,566 | 253 |
| 1910s | 11,062 | 235 |
| 1920s | 15,518 | 242 |
| 1930s | 8,376 | 333 |
| 1940s | 7,107 | 420 |
| 1950s | 9,570 | 469 |
| 1960s | 8,095 | 525 |
| 1970s | 6,475 | 591 |
| 1980s | 7,793 | 570 |
| 1990s | 10,141 | 529 |
| 2000s | 11,361 | 546 |
| 2010s | 10,933 | 588 |
| 2020s | 7,334 | 525 |
Where Miriam is heading
Miriam has risen 14% over the past decade, from 1,106 babies in 2015 to 1,262 in 2025.
Names like Miriam
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Miriam.