# Mary \_\_\_\_\_\_ **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 11, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320 "2010-11-11T16:33:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/21 "2010-11-11T20:55:26Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I went to Catholic school during the baby boom, so I’ve heard just about every possible variation on Mary. Without referring to anything, here are the ones I remember. > > Mary Ann > Mary Anne > Mary Beth > Mary Fran > Mary Jane > Mary Jean > Mary Catherine aka Mary Kay > Mary Lou > Mary Lourdes > Mary Margaret > Mary Pat > Mary Ruth Add Mary Kate, Mary Elizabeth, Mary Ellen, Mary Louise, Mary Bridget and Mary Bernadette to this and you could have gone to school with me. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/22 "2010-11-11T21:25:25Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > A southern reagion? I’m in central Indiana, but as I think back, it does seem like it’s typically introduced by someone from the south (whether southern Indiana or states further south). Once it starts getting used on someone, everyone acquainted with Mary in the social group tends to switch to “Miss Mary.” It’s weird. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/23 "2010-11-11T21:28:57Z")
Wow, not one Mary Sue? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/24 "2010-11-11T21:49:25Z")
> [@Student\_Driver](#): > > I’m in central Indiana, but as I think back, it does seem like it’s typically introduced by someone from the south (whether southern Indiana or states further south). Once it starts getting used on someone, everyone acquainted with Mary in the social group tends to switch to “Miss Mary.” It’s weird. I was going to say that it sounds very southern, but I know a few women around here (New England) that get saddled with Miss (name), and not by southerners. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/25 "2010-11-11T21:58:10Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > My SIL is Mary \_\_ … the \_\_\_ is pretty unique so I won’t say it to protect our identities. It’s an old German family name. Mary Hitler? I know her. > [@tdn](#): > > My sister in law is Mary Ellen. Since there was a Mary Ellen on the Waltons, I always assumed it was kind of common. A couple of months ago I met someone by that name, and mentioned that it was my SIL’s name. She mentioned how rare it is. I had no idea. I dated Mary Ellen in high school. Is it rare? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/26 "2010-11-11T21:58:44Z")
My MIL is Mary Jane, and that’s what she goes by. Except with her sisters, who call her Chick, because when she was a toddler, she squished a baby chick. :eek: I went to a Catholic elementary school, so as classmates, I had Mary Carol, Mary Sue, Mary Claire, Mary Gene, and probably more I don’t remember, since it was in the 60s and my memory is shot. 😃 There was also a Jeanette Mary, but she went by Jeanette, unless her mother was yelling at her. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/27 "2010-11-11T21:59:17Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Mary Hitler? I know her. LMAO…now I am going to think of that when I think of her name. Thanks! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/28 "2010-11-11T22:01:58Z")
> [@bup](#): > > I dated Mary Ellen in high school. Is it rare? Very. I can’t remember who told me that, though. It was probably a Mary Ellen. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/29 "2010-11-11T22:35:20Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Wow, not one Mary Sue? I knew one of these - she hated it, felt it sounded too juvenile and silly. Her family used it on her (instead of just Mary), and often with a sing-song lilt in the voice. Legally changed it to Mary Elizabeth, and now goes by “Liz”. Feels it much more suits her grown-up urban professional profile. (Also colors her hair, got her teeth capped, and the boobs done - I’m just sayin’) ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/30 "2010-11-12T02:42:45Z")
These kind of names are extremely common in Quebec, though we spell Mary Marie. A few I haven’t seen above are: Marie-Hélène (Mary Helen) Marie-France (Mary France) 🙂 Marie-Soleil (Mary Sun) Marie-Loup (Mary Wolf) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/31 "2010-11-12T02:53:25Z")
I suppose it’s time to reveal the Catholic schoolgirl’s code. All the Marys and Mary-somethings call each other by their last names. Eventually, the non-Mary population starts getting called by their last names. If you run across a middle-age woman who seems more comfortable calling her female co-workers by their last names, odds are she went to a Catholic school, most likely a Catholic girls’ school. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/32 "2010-11-12T03:32:36Z")
I had a next door neighbor whose name was Mary Victoria. She went by Mary Vic. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/33 "2010-11-12T04:02:24Z")
My mother-in-law is a Mary Jo. Once, in an email to her, I accidentally spelled her name as Mary Ho and did not see the typo before I sent it. :smack: Fortunately she has a sense of humor. In fact, she still thinks it’s the most hilarious thing to this day. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/34 "2010-11-12T04:38:56Z")
I have an Aunt Mary Mac. If you just said Mary, I wouldn’t make the connection. Mary Mac is her first name and it is always used that way. Mary )something Catholic sounding) is sometimes used in the Boston area as well for a first name. I had a coworker named Mary Margaret recently and that was her name, not just Mary. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/35 "2010-11-12T05:18:26Z")
A girl at school was called Mary Jane until her mom realised that it was a nickname for Marijuana. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/36 "2010-11-12T07:00:04Z")
I don’t know any Mary Somethings. I had a relative by marriage named Marianne, but the only other Mary I know is just Mary. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/37 "2010-11-12T16:21:02Z")
My mother is a Mary Ann, but she doesn’t like her name at all. I don’t think I know any Mary \_\_\_\_s who are younger than my mom’s generation (late 50s / early 60s). ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320/38 "2010-11-12T18:18:55Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > Not my mom and her sisters … but their cousins are four girls who were all given the first name Mary. They go by their middle names, which are Elizabeth (Beth), Barbara, Anne and Katherine. Catholic much? The sisters of an old boyfriend of mine were all Mary -somethings, too. Mary Alice, Mary Katherine, Mary Margaret, and a couple more I can’t remember at the moment. I also know a Mary Michael, which is always said as if it were one name. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-______/560320.md?page=1)