girl's name
Myriam
meer-YAM
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 6
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 108,204
France
#287
2025 births
Myriam is the French spelling of Miriam, and France ranks it 287th while ranking Miriam itself 816th — so in its own market the respelling substantially outsells the original biblical form. It peaked in 1967, and holds 103,034 lifetime births.
- Myriam is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 1967, when 3,145 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 3,023 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1902.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Myriam over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 40 |
| 1910s | 80 |
| 1920s | 240 |
| 1930s | 700 |
| 1940s | 2,765 |
| 1950s | 11,895 |
| 1960s | 24,310 |
| 1970s | 21,975 |
| 1980s | 13,100 |
| 1990s | 10,375 |
| 2000s | 7,455 |
| 2010s | 5,175 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,600 |
What Myriam means
Myriam has no securely known meaning, because Miriam does not. Bitterness, beloved, wished-for child and an Egyptian source are all proposed for the Hebrew, and none is established.
Where Myriam comes from
Myriam is the French form of Miriam, the Hebrew Miryam borne by the sister of Moses and Aaron, who leads the women in song after the crossing of the sea. The meaning is genuinely unrecovered — the standard proposals draw on mar, bitter, and on words for beloved and wished-for, while a fourth argues the name is Egyptian rather than Hebrew, which would suit the Exodus setting. Every Mary, Marie and Maria in Europe descends from it, so this spelling sits closer to the source than the descendants that outnumber it.
Myriam in use
Myriam peaked in France in 1967, when 3,145 babies were registered, and is falling in our data. It ranks 287th in France on 195 births, 3499th in England and Wales on 7 and 4914th in the United States on 27, across 108,204 lifetime births in four of the seven markets we track. France ranks Myriam 287th against Miriam's 816th in the same market.
How popular is Myriam?
In 2025, Myriam was given to 195 babies in France, ranking #287 that year. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Myriam is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Myriam
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Myriam also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Myriam over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Myriam
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Myriam in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Myriam
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Myriam — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Myriam
What does the name Myriam mean?
Not known. Miriam's own derivation has never been established despite centuries of proposals.
Is Myriam the same as Miriam?
Yes, the French spelling — and France ranks it far above the original form.
Is Myriam related to Mary?
Every Mary, Marie and Maria descends from Miriam, so it sits closer to the source than they do.
How popular is Myriam?
287th in France, its strongest market by a wide margin.
Is Myriam a girl's or a boy's name?
Myriam is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Myriam?
Myriam has 3 syllables.
What are the nicknames for Myriam?
Myriam is usually shortened to Mimi.
Is Myriam a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Myriam currently ranks #287 in France. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.