Marian means bitter or beloved — a compound of Mary and Ann, or from the Latin Marianus. Maid Marian is Robin Hood's great love. Marian Anderson was the first Black singer to perform at the Met — she sang on the Lincoln Memorial steps. The Music Man's Marian the Librarian is one of musical theatre's most beloved characters. Three syllables of Robin Hood's love, Anderson's Lincoln-Memorial voice, and the librarian who transforms River City.
Hebrew Mary (beloved) + Ann (grace) or Latin Marianus→Marian
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Latin / Hebrew roots
Marian combines Mary and Ann or comes from the Latin Marianus. Maid Marian is Robin Hood's love. Marian Anderson was the first Black singer at the Met, performing on the Lincoln Memorial steps. The Music Man's Marian is beloved.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: Robin Hood legend; Marian Anderson (1897–1993).
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Today
Marian remains a beloved choice, ranking #1211 in the US. 143,077 babies have been named Marian since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, SSA data
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How popular is Marian?
1924peak year
Its strongest stretch was the 1920s — when Marian was at its most popular. At its height in 1924, Marian reached #64 nationally — 4,197 babies received it that single year. Today, Marian is a less common but recognizable name in U.S. records (ranked #1,211) with about 201 babies named Marian each year. Marian's usage has held roughly steady recently. In all, around 143,077 babies have been registered as Marian since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Marian's Life Path 6 is the nurturer's number — librarian-level nurturing. People named Marian tend to be warm, classic, and gifted at being both Robin Hood's love and the voice at the Lincoln Memorial.
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