# mara vs Merv

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### mara
*noun · IPA /ˈmɑːɹə/ · frequency rank #16,072*
A nightmare; a spectre or wraith-like creature in Germanic and particularly Scandinavian folklore; a female demon who torments people in sleep by crouching on their chests or stomachs, or by causing terrifying visions.

### Merv
*name · frequency rank #48,894*
Synonym of Mary, a city in Turkmenistan noted for its former role on the Silk Road and similar trade routes.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mara-vs-merv