Miriam

Meaning: wished-for child

Origin: Hebrew

Miriam is the original Hebrew form behind Maria and its many descendants. The root's exact sense is disputed among etymologists — 'wished-for child' and 'bitterness' are the two glosses cited most often. In the Hebrew Bible, Miriam is the sister of Moses and Aaron, credited with watching over the infant Moses in the reeds and later leading the Israelite women in song after the crossing of the Red Sea.