Mariella is an Italian diminutive of Maria and so carries the meanings usually given for Mary: "beloved" or "wished-for child", though the Hebrew original Miryam is of uncertain origin. It is a softer, more elaborate alternative to Mariel and Mariah and fits the romance-language names Americans have taken up, like Isabella and Gabriella. Mariella climbed from number 2659 in 2000, entered the US top 1000 in 2024 and ranks number 943 among girls' names in 2025.