Neutral names starting with M: Difference between revisions

'''Marion'''. English and French. From the French surname Marion, from the medieval French feminine nickname Marion, from the French feminine name Marie, a form of the feminine name Mary.<ref>https://www.behindthename.com/name/marion-1 [https://web.archive.org/web/20230601032233/https://www.behindthename.com/name/marion-1 Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref>https://www.behindthename.com/name/marion-2 [https://web.archive.org/web/20230213092118/https://www.behindthename.com/name/marion-2 Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref>https://www.behindthename.com/name/marie [https://web.archive.org/web/20230404062231/http://www.behindthename.com/name/marie Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> Ultimately from the Biblical Hebrew feminine name Miryam (מִרְיָם). The original meaning of Miryam is uncertain, traditionally thought to mean "Sea of bitterness," or "Wished for child." The Hebrew name may have been related to an ancient Egyptian name M-R-Y, meaning "Beloved."<ref>https://www.behindthename.com/name/mary [https://web.archive.org/web/20230318052536/https://www.behindthename.com/name/mary Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> US SSA data shows about 96,564 people named Marion, used as a feminine name 72% of the time.<ref>https://www.mynamestats.com/First-Names/M/MA/MARION/index.html [https://web.archive.org/web/20230131232541/https://mynamestats.com/First-Names/M/MA/MARION/index.html Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> In many other countries, Marion is strictly a feminine name. The popularity of Marion as a gender neutral name in the US peaked during the 1890s to 1930s.<ref>https://www.behindthename.com/name/marion-2 [https://web.archive.org/web/20230213092118/https://www.behindthename.com/name/marion-2 Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> Keywords: Biblical, common, Edwardian era, three syllables. The name  Marion was originally considered a masculine name with French origins<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nameberry.com/|title=Marion: Name Meaning, Popularity, and Similar Names|website=Nameberry|language=en-US|access-date=2021-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308010621/https://nameberry.com/|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>. Most notably is the actor John Wayne (popular for starring in many old Western movies, a "heartthrob"), whose birth name was Marion Robert Morrison.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biography.com/actor/john-wayne|title=John Wayne|website=Biography|language=en-us|access-date=2021-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528080841/https://www.biography.com/actor/john-wayne|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Wayne|title=John Wayne {{!}} Biography, Movies, & Facts|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=2021-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328190821/https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Wayne|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000078/|title=John Wayne|website=IMDb|access-date=2021-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230702220316/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000078/|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> "Marian"/"Marianne" was considered the inherently feminine spelling and "Marion" was considered the inherently masculine based either in folk etymology or common misconception. It was common for immigrants named "Maria" to change their name to the Americanized "Mary-Anne"/"Mary"/"Marian" - thus immigrants by the name of "Mario" took on the Americanized spelling "Marion".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/girl/marion|title=Marion Name Meaning & Origin|website=Baby Name Wizard|language=en|access-date=2021-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920052500/https://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/girl/marion|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/namenerds/comments/7j5kn9/marian_or_marion/|title=r/namenerds - Marian or Marion?|website=reddit|language=en-US|access-date=2021-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610013159/https://www.reddit.com/r/namenerds/comments/7j5kn9/marian_or_marion/|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.babycenter.com/baby-names-marion-484575.htm|title=Marion - Boy's name meaning, origin, and popularity|website=BabyCenter|language=en|access-date=2021-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127051844/https://www.babycenter.com/baby-names-marion-484575.htm|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> Today there is still confusion about whether or not the swapped vowels are indicative of specific genders, leading the "o" form to be decidedly unisex.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=2021-03-11|title=Marion (given name)|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marion_(given_name)&oldid=1011546976|journal=Wikipedia|language=en|archive-url=False|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>