Miriam

MEER-ee-um

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The name Miriam means “wished-for child, star of the sea.” It comes from the Hebrew language tradition.

Miriam is one of the Hebrew Bible's most important women — the sister of Moses and Aaron, a prophetess who led the Israelite women in song after crossing the Red Sea. The name may mean 'wished-for child,' 'bitter sea,' or 'star of the sea.' It is the original form of Mary and has remained beloved across millennia in Jewish tradition.

Wiktionary says the meaning of Miriam 'has been debated for centuries': it is possibly from a root meaning 'to be bitter,' though other explanations derive it from a different root meaning mutiny, rebellion, or disobedience. Neither reading matches the 'wished-for child' or 'star of the sea' glosses given elsewhere, so those are not repeated as confirmed. Wiktionary does state that Miriam is the Old Testament equivalent of Mary.

Wikipedia confirms Miriam is recorded in Biblical Hebrew in the Book of Exodus as the name of the sister of Moses, the prophetess Miriam; nothing retrieved here mentions her leading the women in song after the crossing of the Red Sea.

• Miriam (biblical prophetess, sister of Moses)
• Miriam Makeba (South African singer and civil rights activist)

Sibling names that share Miriam's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.