Mariel is a short form of Marielle, a French diminutive of Marie; Mary goes back to the Hebrew Miriam, whose meaning is uncertain and is most often given as "beloved" or "wished-for child". Actress Mariel Hemingway, named after the Cuban port town, is the best-known American bearer. Mariel climbed from number 2303 in 2021 to number 1040 in 2024 and entered the top 1000 for the first time in 2025 at number 893.