The name Mariana has its roots in Latin and ancient Rome. It is a feminine form derived from the name Marianus, which itself came from the Roman family name Marius. The Latin name Marius may have originated from the word "mas" meaning male or masculine.

Mariana was a name used in ancient Rome, though not extremely common. One of the earliest recorded instances was Mariana, the second wife of the Roman emperor Heraclius who ruled in the 7th century AD. She held the title of Augusta alongside Heraclius.

Another early bearer of the name was Saint Mariana of Jesus, a Spanish-Portuguese nun who lived in the 16th century and founded the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception in Portugal. She was beatified in 1776 and canonized as a saint in 1950.

During the Renaissance period, the name grew in popularity across Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain. A notable Italian bearer was Mariana Vittoria, an acclaimed opera singer active in the late 17th century. In Spain, Mariana of Austria was the queen consort from 1649 to 1665 as the wife of Philip IV of Spain.

The name also has ties to English literature and history. Mariana is the name of a character in Shakespeare's play "Measure for Measure" from around 1603. Additionally, Mariana Alcoforado was a Portuguese nun in the 17th century known for the famous "Letters of a Portuguese Nun" which detailed her unrequited love.

Some other notable historical figures with the first name Mariana include Mariana Pineda (1804-1831), a Spanish revolutionary; Mariana Monteiro (1608-1650), a Portuguese writer and poet; and Mariana Bracetti (1825-1904), a Puerto Rican revolutionary and women's rights activist.