Miriam is the original Hebrew form of Mary; its meaning is uncertain and is variously explained as "beloved", from the Egyptian mry, or as "bitter" or "sea of bitterness", from the Hebrew mar. In the Book of Exodus Miriam is the sister of Moses and Aaron who watched over the baby in the reeds and later led the women in song. Miriam has been a quiet constant in the United States, moving from number 278 in 2000 to number 246 among girls' names in 2025, its best rank in this period.