| Mariana | Mercedes | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | of Marius; of Mary | Mercies |
| Origin | spanish | Spanish |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | mah-ree-AH-nah | mer-SEH-dess |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1888 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2005 (2,062) | 1991 (1,798) |
| In 2025 | 1,192 | 150 |
| Trend | Steady | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Mariana | Mercedes |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 7,371 | 1,025 |
| 2010s | 11,013 | 2,950 |
| 2000s | 15,830 | 8,454 |
| 1990s | 6,121 | 15,291 |
| 1980s | 2,291 | 4,410 |
| 1970s | 1,025 | 1,985 |
| 1960s | 486 | 1,699 |
| 1950s | 314 | 1,741 |
| 1940s | 306 | 1,368 |
| 1930s | 322 | 1,858 |
| 1920s | 412 | 2,828 |
| 1910s | 271 | 1,767 |
| 1900s | 80 | 530 |
| 1890s | 35 | 226 |
| 1880s | 10 | 74 |
The Spanish form of the Latin Mariana, feminine of Marianus, a name derived from the Roman family name Marius (itself of uncertain meaning). From early times it was reinterpreted as a derivative of María, blending the two associations.
Mercedes means “mercies,” from Our Lady of Mercy.
Mariana is more popular than Mercedes today: about 1,192 US babies were given the name Mariana in 2025, compared with 150 named Mercedes.
Mariana means of Marius; of Mary (spanish origin), while Mercedes means Mercies (Spanish origin).
In US records, Mariana first appears in 1888 and Mercedes in 1880, so Mercedes has the longer recorded history.