
The short answer
Mariel is a feminine name used in Spanish and English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Diminutive of Maria. In the case of the American actress Mariel Hemingway (1961-), the name was inspired by the Cuban town of Mariel." It ranked #893 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, diminutive of Maria. In the case of the American actress Mariel Hemingway (1961-), the name was inspired by the Cuban town of Mariel. The entry lists its usage as Spanish (Latin American), Spanish (Philippines), English (American).
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Mariel ranked #893 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #893 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Spanish) and that sit near Mariel in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Mariel mean?
Behind the Name does not give Mariel a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: diminutive of Maria.
Is Mariel a popular name?
Mariel ranked #893 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Mariel a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Mariel appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Mariel — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.