Bitter, rebellious, or star of the sea
Marai is a rare variant of the Hebrew name Mara or Mary. It is often interpreted as meaning 'bitter' in the context of the biblical figure Naomi, but it can also be associated with 'rebellion' or the Latin-derived 'star of the sea'.
Less common today
Marai isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #10,569 in 2025.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
