# Miriam

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /ˈmɪɹɪəm/ · frequency rank #15,662

## Definitions
1. The sister of Moses and Aaron and the daughter of Amram and Jochebed.
2. Synonym of Mary, mother of Jesus, chiefly in contexts emphasizing her historical or Jewish identity.
3. A female given name from Hebrew.

## Etymology
From Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), possibly from Aramaic מרים (Maryām, “bitter”), from a root מר (m-r) meaning "to be bitter". The meaning of this name which is the Old Testament equivalent of Mary has been debated for centuries. Some other explanations are mutiny / rebellion / disobedience from a root מרי (m-r-y).

## Easily confused with
- **mirza** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/miriam-vs-mirza)
- **Moria** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/miriam-vs-moria)
- **myriad** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/miriam-vs-myriad)
- **Mira** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mira-vs-miriam)
- **MIRI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/miri-vs-miriam)
- **Maria** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/maria-vs-miriam)
- **Marian** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/marian-vs-miriam)
- **Mariah** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mariah-vs-miriam)
- **Maryam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/maryam-vs-miriam)

## Common misspellings (8)
`imriam`, `miiram`, `miraim`, `miriamm`, `mirima`, `mirriam`, `mmiriam`, `mriiam`

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