Miriam

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A few things about Miriam you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Miriam

Miriam Makeba

South African singer and civil rights activist (1932–2008)

Choose Miriam and your child shares a first name with Miriam Makeba, a South African singer and civil rights activist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Miriam, like who?” Miriam Makeba's Wikipedia article is available in 97 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Miriam Makeba on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Reprise Records, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 1,274 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Miriam, 1,262 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Miriam would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryMiriam has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Miriams, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIts best year was 1917, when it reached #134.
• 🚀TrendMiriam has climbed 22 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #246. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedMiriam is most popular in New Jersey, where it ranks #29, followed by New York (#39) and Vermont (#75). It's in the top 1,000 in 36 states.
• 💬MeaningIn Hebrew, Miriam means “possibly beloved”.

About the name Miriam

Miriam is a girl name meaning “possibly beloved”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with M and ending in “-iam”. US birth records list Miriam for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1917, when it ranked #134 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #246, with 1,262 babies.