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I like all of the names you mentioned: Marian, Marion, Marianne, and Mary Anne. They're all very pretty.

I love the name Marian since it was my nana's name. She was the most kick-butt sweet lady I've ever known. She fought around half of her life through cancer and the after-effects of having cancer treatments. She was a type A person who let nothing slow her down or stop her. She was very beautiful in her youth and the best looking old lady I've ever met. She was old-school in that she always dressed up when leaving the home. She always liked to look her best. She loved to read and to cook and to garden and tell us stories. Both her and my grandpa were great story tellers. They were always telling us stories. She could really hold a grudge but it would have to be something grudge worthy. She might not talk to someone for a while if she was upset with them but she would soon enough forgive them. The only person she never forgave was one of her sisters who screwed over their brother. She said she would never talk to her again when she was in her 30's and she never did speak to her again. She died in her 80's even though the doctors always thought that she didn't have much time to live. I guess my nana was always my hero because she was a feisty woman who never gave up. Kind of like one of my other heroes my great-grandma Ella who recently died at the age of 113. She was another feisty old lady who I looked up to.

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Sorry got sort of off topic. I am very fond of the name Marian and Marianna / Mariana. Mar names are a tradition in my nana's side of the family. I'm a Marisa. I have an aunt Mary. My nana had other Mar siblings and I think her mother was named Maria. I like Marian since it has the Robin Hood literature connected to it and it has a nice sound to it. I plan on giving a daughter the mn of Marian if I ever have a daughter.

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This message was edited 10/7/2011, 12:18 PM

I had a Marian sighting this morning!

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At my son's school, 5th grade volunteers (about age 10-11) are used in the student drop-off to open car doors and help littler kids climb out of their vehicles. This morning a little girl helped my son; she was petite, almost waifish, with long, light brown hair down to her waist. As another student passed them, I heard him call out "Hi, Marian!"

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It really is a pretty name, and it suited her so well; she looked like she could easily play Maid Marian. I think it could make a comeback, and I'll be delighted if it does. I slightly prefer the Marion spelling, but I think Marian is more likely.

I love the name Marian. My only issue is that I can never decide how I prefer it to be spelt. I love Marion as much as I love Marian. I think my first instinct would be to spell it Marion. Marion would also be a little more refreshing than Marianne. I know one too many girls named Marianne.

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It could make a comeback. I prefer Marian and think that is how most people would spell it.
It is really dated & old to me. In terms of Maid Marian, it does have a pretty romantic vibe to it but not Marian by itself.

I like Marian! Mostly because of Robin Hood too, it gives me a medeival feel because of it :)
Marion is okayish, but I much prefer Marian. Also, I've met a boy named Marion, so I think of Marian as "girl" and Marion as "unisex". Plus Marion doesn't have the association of Maid Marian.
I don't think people would spell it like that too often. It might be a regional thing (right now I'm going to school in Iowa, fairly near to a city called Marion. So if I introduced myself as Marian here I might get a few Marion spellings because of that, but I think Marian would be more popilar in other places.)
I don't think Marianne is all that similar to Marian, actually. Marianne seems like more of a Mary Anne mashup, and it has a completely different feel despite having "Marian" in it.
I'd be happy to see it. I'd like it with a middle name that made me think "medeival" in some way, or maybe a naturey one. Marian Cecily, Marian Siobhan, Marian Ivy, Marian Wren, Marian Guinevere (too much?)

I've always thought Marian was pretty, too. It does have this really deep, mature quality to it, and it's velvety and deep red and black. It's very sensual. I only like that spelling when on a girl.

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Marion I think looks more masculine, so that's the spelling I consider to be the boy version. I like it on a boy, too.

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I think people would spell it Marian. That's by far more common I think.