Maria

Maria f

Latin form of MARY (SEE Mary), still used in most European languages, either as the main local form of the name, as in Italian, Spanish (María), Portuguese, German, Dutch, Scandinavian, Polish, and Czech, or as a learned doublet of a vernacular form. In English it is a learned revival dating from the 18th century, pronounced both /mə'ri:ə/ and, more traditionally, /mə'raiə/. The original Latin name Maria arose as a back-formation from the early Christian female name Mariam. This was taken as an accusative case, with the usual Latin feminine accusative ending -am. In fact, however, it is an indeclinable Aramaic alternative form of the Hebrew name MIRIAM (SEE Miriam). This form of the name is in common use in most European languages; for example, it was the most common of all female names in Sweden in 1973. In Spain not only is the name María itself enormously common, but a large number of Marian epithets and words associated with the cult of the Virgin are also used as female given names. Maria is also used as a male name in combinations such as Giammaria (Italian) and José María (Spanish).

Short form: Ria.

Cognates and pet forms: see MARY (SEE Mary).

Masculine forms: MARIUS (SEE Marius). Italian, Spanish, Portuguese: MARIO (SEE Mario).