Miriam
Say it: MIR-ee-um/ˈmɪɹi.əm/
GirlMeans disputed, perhaps "bitter" or "rebellion"6 letters3 syllables
#273
in Ireland (2025)
#276 with spellings combined
15
babies in 2025
#53
best rank (1964)
2,463
babies since 1964
Up 103
10-year rank change
Miriam through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | #276 |
| 2024 | 10 | #368 |
| 2023 | 10 | #358 |
| 2022 | 13 | #317 |
| 2021 | 9 | #430 |
| 2020 | 15 | #275 |
| 2019 | 13 | #322 |
| 2018 | 7 | #504 |
| 2017 | 6 | #580 |
| 2016 | 12 | #360 |
| 2015 | 12 | #379 |
| 2014 | 8 | #500 |
| 2013 | 4 | #748 |
| 2012 | 7 | #562 |
| 2011 | 11 | #418 |
| 2010 | 11 | #423 |
| 2009 | 12 | #381 |
| 2008 | 12 | #383 |
| 2007 | 11 | #375 |
| 2006 | 8 | #433 |
| 2005 | 13 | #277 |
| 2004 | 23 | #181 |
| 2003 | 18 | #212 |
| 2002 | 12 | #278 |
| 2001 | 14 | #238 |
| 2000 | 16 | #213 |
| 1999 | 5 | #393 |
| 1998 | 12 | #229 |
| 1997 | 22 | #200 |
| 1996 | 13 | #259 |
| 1995 | 20 | #196 |
| 1994 | 22 | #187 |
| 1993 | 20 | #201 |
| 1992 | 30 | #164 |
| 1991 | 21 | #193 |
| 1990 | 35 | #143 |
| 1989 | 36 | #141 |
| 1988 | 49 | #119 |
| 1987 | 57 | #112 |
| 1986 | 55 | #113 |
| 1985 | 50 | #128 |
| 1984 | 52 | #128 |
| 1983 | 75 | #102 |
| 1982 | 69 | #117 |
| 1981 | 81 | #99 |
| 1980 | 94 | #93 |
| 1979 | 74 | #105 |
| 1978 | 59 | #126 |
| 1977 | 73 | #105 |
| 1976 | 69 | #116 |
| 1975 | 56 | #127 |
| 1974 | 75 | #111 |
| 1973 | 76 | #113 |
| 1972 | 90 | #91 |
| 1971 | 88 | #98 |
| 1970 | 81 | #95 |
| 1969 | 98 | #81 |
| 1968 | 111 | #65 |
| 1967 | 97 | #73 |
| 1966 | 80 | #78 |
| 1965 | 99 | #63 |
| 1964 | 117 | #53 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Miriam mean?
Disputed, perhaps "bitter" or "rebellion"
Hebrew, from Miryam, the sister of Moses and the Hebrew form of Mary.
Say it right
MIReeum
The story of Miriam
Miriam is the Hebrew Miryam, the name of the sister of Moses and Aaron in the Book of Exodus. After the crossing of the Red Sea she leads the women in song and dance with a tambourine. Miryam is also the original form of Mary, so the two names are the same name at root.
What the name means has been debated for a very long time. One explanation links it to a root meaning bitter, and another to one meaning rebellion. None is certain.
In Ireland Miriam was a well-used name in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, sitting inside the top 100 for much of that time, with 741 girls in the 1970s alone. It became less common after that. It has picked up a little lately: in 2025, 15 girls were named Miriam, putting it at number 276. It has always been less common in Northern Ireland, where its best rank was number 220 in 2000.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Miriam (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Miriam (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Mim
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Miriam | 15 | 2,463 |
In Northern Ireland
#397 in 2025 with 3 babies. Best rank #220 (2000); 59 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.