Message: "Marie" - Behind the Name

Marie

by Lily (Destry)

4/28/2013, 2:43 PM

Do you think this has chances of making a comeback or will its popularity as a middle name hold it back? I really like it and it seems fresh to me. But I can see how others might find it boring because everyone probably knows at least five people or so with Marie as their middle name.

In the 80s and earlier it was definitely a very common middle name but I think people hardly ever use it as a middle name today because they think of it as boring and dated and therefore use Grace, Rose or Elizabeth instead. I haven't come upon anyone with it as a middle name who is younger than 15. I even like it as a middle name. I would use Elise as it is honoring and First Name Marie Elise sounds pretty nice. I have a friend name Marie but she lives in Switzerland and pronounces it MAH-ree which is the common pronunciation there so it wouldn't be an issue.

I would pronounce it the English way, but I also like Mari pronounced as MAH-ree. Which do you prefer? Marie or Mari?

What do you think of Marie?

#Marie

Replies

- Bear

4/29/2013, 12:56 PM

I'd love to see Marie take the front seat and drive for a change. Very refreshing! She's done her time for whatever crime she committed. It's time to let her shine. :-)

- Wordsmith

4/29/2013, 10:46 AM

I adore Marie! It's so stately and grounded and self-possessed. Were my father's psychotic, vindictive first wife not named Marie, I would seriously consider using it.

- findthesea

4/29/2013, 9:14 AM

I love Marie. It was my Nana's name and a little girl I used to teach (she'd be about 10 now). I keep hoping to hear it more, but alas all I keep getting at Soph/Belle/Lee/Din children. Although I do have a Mary right now, which is just as refreshing.

- RoxStar

4/29/2013, 6:45 AM

Hate to burst the bubble, but Marie is still used all the time in the US as a middle name. The paper is full of Riley Maries and Grace Maries and Kaylee Maries.

I really like Marie as a first or a middle name. I like Maria even better. I don't see Marie becoming more popular as a first name anytime soon though. I don't know but one Marie-as-a-first-name, and she's probably fifty.

Mari I would just pronounce Mary.

- Pie

4/29/2013, 4:28 AM

I'd choose Mari over Marie, because it's Welsh,but I like both of them. I know two Maris and no Maries at all, nor anyone with it as a middle name apart from some of my French ancestors. I'd be happy to see it in a BA.

- Phoebe (Kate)

4/29/2013, 1:18 AM

I love Marie and think it's refreshing as a first name. Mari looks misspelled/trendy to me even though I know it's a legitimate name in other languages.

- Julia (JuliaF)

4/28/2013, 6:20 PM

I really like Marie as a first name. As a middle name it bores me to death, though. I also like Mari, but only as a nickname.

- Alcyone (guest)

4/28/2013, 5:50 PM

I love Marie as a first name. I don't think that its popularity as a middle name will necessarily hold it back. To me, Marie seems refreshing as a first name. Same with Rose.

Marie Elise is a lovely name.

I prefer Marie. I like Mari (MAH-ree) better as a nickname for a Mar- name or a name that has the "mar" sound it in somewhere.

- Caroline (CarolineCarolina)

4/28/2013, 4:39 PM

I like Mari (MAH-ree) *way* more than I like Marie.

Marie has just been ruined for me. It seems so old, tacky Southern Baptist Church lady to me. And I also associate it with names I think are tacky, like Tiffany or Brittany, because Marie was so often the middle name. You see Marie less paired with classic names, at least in my experience.

So yeah, I pretty strongly detest it.

If I met a French woman named Marie, it might change my mind.

I think Maria is much prettier, but my favorite form of this name is simply Mary.

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