Maris

♀ Girl

Pronounced MAIR-is /ˈmɛr.ɪs/High

Meaning: Of the sea; from Latin maris, drawn from the Marian title Stella Maris, 'star of the sea'High

In 30 seconds: The sea, in Latin genitive: Maris was lifted from Stella Maris — 'star of the sea', Mary's oldest seafarer title. Frasier fans know her as the wife never seen.

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Origin HighLatin

MeaningOf the sea; from Latin maris, drawn from the Marian title Stella Maris, 'star of the sea'

U.S. rank (2025)#3280 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births48 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2018

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,671

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Maris comes from Latin maris, 'of the sea', extracted from Stella Maris — 'Star of the Sea', the ancient Marian title sailors prayed under. As an English given name it surfaced in the early twentieth century, a sleek scholarly alternative to Marina.

Pop culture gave it two oddly matched boosts: baseball's Roger Maris (a surname) and the unseen Maris of Frasier. The name remains genuinely rare — tailored, tidal, and one letter from Mars.

Did you know? On Frasier, Niles's wife Maris was famously never shown on screen — writers kept inventing reasons she couldn't appear, making her television's most discussed invisible character.

Overall data confidence 85%

Behind the Name — Maris — Stella Maris origin

Variations

MarrisMarisaMarin

Nicknames

Mari

Famous Bearers

★Maris Racal (1997-)
Filipino actress and singer

If you like Maris…

Marina— the fuller Latin 'of the sea' classic

Marin— the sleek modern sister with the same waters

Maren— the Scandinavian sea-name cousin

Stella— the 'star' half of Stella Maris standing alone

Explore names like Maris

By themelatin marian ocean

By meaningStar Sea / Water

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Maris mean?

Maris is Latin for 'of the sea', drawn from Stella Maris, 'star of the sea', an ancient title of the Virgin Mary.

How do you pronounce Maris?

It's said MAIR-is /ˈmɛr.ɪs/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Maris a boy or girl name?

Maris is used mainly as a girl's name.

How popular is Maris?

Maris is a rare name in the U.S. — sleek, scholarly, and sea-deep.