The name Maryam has its origins in the Hebrew language and is derived from the ancient Semitic root word "mrym." This root word is believed to have meant "bitter," "beloved," or "wished for child." The name's earliest known use dates back to the 1st century BCE, where it appears as the name of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, in the New Testament of the Bible.

Maryam is the Arabic transliteration of the name Mary and is widely used in the Islamic world. It holds significant religious and cultural significance in Islam, as it is the name of the Virgin Mary, who is revered as a highly respected figure in the Quran. The Quran mentions her name more than 30 times, making her one of the most frequently mentioned women in the holy book.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Maryam can be found in the Quran itself, where it is used to refer to the mother of Jesus. In the Quran, Maryam is portrayed as a pious and virtuous woman who was chosen by God to give birth to the Prophet Jesus.

Throughout history, there have been many notable figures who bore the name Maryam. One of the most famous was Maryam al-Qibtiyya (c. 628-637 CE), an Egyptian Coptic Christian who became one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad. Another notable Maryam was Maryam al-Astrabadi (c. 1005-1088 CE), a Persian poet and scholar who was renowned for her knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and literature.

In the medieval period, Maryam al-Muʿtasimiyya (d. 1224 CE) was a prominent Sufi mystic and teacher who established several religious schools in Damascus. Maryam al-Samarqandiyya (d. 1459 CE) was a notable scholar and writer from Central Asia who authored works on Islamic theology and philosophy.

More recently, Maryam Mirzakhani (1977-2017) was an Iranian mathematician who became the first woman to win the prestigious Fields Medal, often considered the Nobel Prize of mathematics, in 2014.