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