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Adorable! I love it.

I love Mary! I don't know that I would use it personally, as I like other names more, but every time I hear it or see it, I fall in love with it. Its such a pretty, versatile, underused name! I don't think you have to be religious to use it.

Btw - no, I don't think it's weird for a non-religious person to use Mary. Many popular names are Biblical. As I mentioned, I love Mary, and I think that it is ready for a revival.

I love Mary. It's so ready for a comeback. I also wish that Marie was used more - as a first though, as Marie and Mary have both been over-used as middle names, over the years.

I think it has its charm though I prefer Maria, and doesn't seem too religious to me.

I like it a lot, but it's too religious for me to use. My dad's side of the family are Northern Irish Protestants and only Catholics use it there, so that would raise a few eyebrows (unfortunately). I'd definitely like to see it become more popular again though.

Mary has a lovely sound and it's very sweet. Unfortunately, it doesn't really inspire me much due to rampant use throughout history. I've considered this name myself but only as a double name where I'd use both names (Mary Katherine, Mary Isobel, Mary Elizabeth, Mary Eleanor, Mary Alexandra). Most likely, I'd use a short form of one name (Mary Kate, Mary Bel, Mary Beth, Mary Elle, Mary Alex).

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Having said that, I'd love to meet a little girl named Mary. It really is a pretty name.

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Re: a nonreligious person using Mary, it's so very common that I don't think most people would think twice about it.

This message was edited 7/29/2017, 10:56 AM

I love Mary, particularly in combo with another name as a double-name (I am Southern and Catholic, after all).

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I don't think it would be weird to use Mary as a non-religious person, though the majority of people I see using Mary nowadays are Catholic. It was in such common usage for so long that I don't think the religious connection is immediately there for most people.

It's so common and generic that unless it was Mary Magdalene or Mary Immaculate or something like that, I don't think it would be strange for a non-religious person to use it. I don't even think it would be weird for a Jewish person to use it, though a Muslim might be stretching it some.

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But I don't like Mary, because of its genericness. It's such a default name, like Jane. Mary Doe would have worked just as well as Jane Doe.
I don't feel the same way about the equally generic John, however, but preferences don't need to be logical.

I love it, and I would seriously consider using it. I don't think it would be weird for a non-religious person to use at all. I think of it as a classic.

I don't think it would be weird for a non-religious person to use Mary (it was in use before Christianity).

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I like it, but don't love it. It's classic/timeless. I don't know anyone called Mary under 40, so it would be fresh on a baby born today.

Not remotely the preserve of the religious! Unlike, say, Mohamed or Jesus. And I like it too, and used it as my first daughter's mn. Glad to hear it's having a slight resurgence.

I've always loved the name Mary, but couldn't use it due to an association on my DH's side of the family. I think anyone can use the name. I actually know a little girl called Mary, who turned 5 recently. Her three siblings have equally as traditional names as she does.

It's boring and blah and nothing. It was so common for centuries that it has no personality. When you have to come up with a female name and you have about two seconds to think about it, "Mary" is what comes out of your mouth because it's so damn generic.

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I don't think it's all weird for a non-religious person to use it. Everyone used it.

I love Mary! I would definitely use it. It feels so fresh.

It would not in the least be odd for an un-religious person to use Mary.

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I wouldn't use it, though. To me, Mary has become just generic, a name you'd use in a school math. problem.

I have a friend named Mary. She's very religious, but a huge sweetie.

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I don't think it's weird. Elizabeth, Michael, Thomas, Peter, Adam, James, and John are all common names that have religious origins. If you love it, use it!

I personally don't like the name because of a personal connection I had in elementary school with a (rude) girl named "Mary", so the name is mostly ruined for me due to the negative connotation to that schoolmate. Also, just to me, it's too old-fashioned, informal, and religious--I'm an atheist--for my taste, but I'm sure a non-religious person could use it and get away with it (my own forename is biblical).

This message was edited 7/28/2017, 6:35 PM