Mariel

Mariel - A very unique female name

Mariel appeared on the charts for the first time in 1973 on position #2284. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Mariel and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Mariel? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Mariel. The baby girl name Mariel was given to 248 baby girls in 2025, ranking #892 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 5,256 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Mariel peaked in popularity 34 years ago in 1992 on position 761.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Mariel, 1-5?

Mariel is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Mariel is currently topping the baby name charts in Arizona at position #301 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,979.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Mariel is where you live.

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Mariel origin and meaning

French diminutive and place name

Uncertain — Mariel is generally a French and Dutch diminutive form of Maria, but it is also a Cuban place name (the port of Mariel), and individual bearers have been named for each source

Mariel has two documented lives: as a continental pet form of Mary, and as a place name — Mariel Hemingway, its best-known bearer, was named for the Cuban fishing village her family visited. In US data since 1973 it has risen to a peak in 2025.

Origin uncertain

Mariel is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Mariel, pop culture references for the name Mariel and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Mariel

We've found the following names that sound similar to Mariel, sorted by popularity.

Muriel / Marla / Marley / Marlee / Merle / Marylou / Mariela / Marlo / Marilee / Marlowe /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Mariel

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Mariel a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Mariel?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

mar-ee-EL · /ˌmæriˈɛl/
MAIR-ee-el and mah-REE-el are also heard

Around the world

• Mariel (French) — A French diminutive form of Marie

Spellings and nicknames

• Marielle — A fuller French form, a separate established name
• Muriel — A different, older name that is easily confused with it

Famous bearers

• Mariel Hemingway — American actress and author; she was named for Mariel, the Cuban port her family frequented (b. 1961) Contemporary

Style

InternationalPlace name

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Mariel for a name that is both a Mary diminutive and a seaside place — soft, literary and still rare enough to feel personal, now at its highest use yet.

Worth knowing

• Muriel is a different name and a frequent mishearing