Mairi as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Mairi

What is the meaning of the name Mairi ?

The baby name Mairi is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced MAH-ree (approx. /ˈmɑːri/).

Mairi is Scottish Gaelic in Origin.

Mairi is the Scottish Gaelic form of Mary, ultimately from Hebrew Miryam via Greek Maria and Latin Maria. In Gaelic orthography it is often written Màiri; the unaccented Mairi is a common modern and anglicized spelling. The name’s meaning is debated, with proposals including “beloved,” “bitter,” “drop of the sea,” and the devotional epithet “star of the sea.” Through centuries of Christian devotion to the Virgin Mary, the name spread across Europe and embedded deeply in Gaelic-speaking communities.

In Scotland, Mairi appears frequently in Highland records and folk culture, celebrated in songs such as “Mairi’s Wedding” (The Lewis Bridal Song). Related forms and variants include Màiri, Mhairi (a Scottish given name derived from the Gaelic vocative a Mhàiri), Máire (Irish), Moira and Maura, as well as Mary, Marie, Maria, Maryam, and Miriam. Modern Scottish variants sometimes include Maree and Mhari.