The name Maryam is at least to me a nickname for Miriam . Is that always the case or does it stand as a Jewish name in own right

Hillel

You may call it a nickname, I woud call it another, may be wrong, pronounciation
In Hebrew the sister of Moses and Aharon is MiR'JaM (from the root "mar" - bitter, or ram) with the accent on "a".
The Cristian world knows other Mirjam under the nickname Mariya (the virgine, mother of Jesus)
In Russian the female names preferred to be finished on vowel and it turns to be Merjama, Mirjama.
Pronounced differently...
In Israel there is popular name Miri, Mira. These are nicknames.
May be we should discuss first the word's "nickname" meaning.
ps. What is Ann? n-n for the Hebrew Hana? Translation? or different pronounciation?
Josef ASH, Israel

I knew a Russian-Jewish couple from Harbin, the Russian Hong-Kong.  Her
name was Manya, a Russian nickname for Marija.

Jules Levin

How could I resist jumping in here? :) Dr. Joseph Ash is correct. Maryam is not a nickname for Miriam but a variation of the same name. Miriam is just the commonly accepted English version of the original biblical Hebrew name. I’ve seen Mariem, Marjem and Mariyam in Polish Jewish documents, Maryam in transliterated Arabic, Myriam in French, and others. They’re all the same name, just with different pronunciations and spellings.

Nicknames generally shorten the name and/or add a diminutive. You might see Mirel or Mireleh (Yiddish), Mira (Yiddish and Hebrew), Miri (Hebrew), Manya (Polish and Russian), Mariuma (Arabic), and many others.

The name Maria or Mary of course originated from Miriam, and it has its own variations and nicknames in various languages.

All the best,
Miriam BULWAR DAVID-HAY,
Raanana, Israel.
Professional writer, editor, proofreader, translator (Hebrew/Yiddish to English).
Certified guide, Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum and Memorial.

 

Hilel,
I wrote you about things you probably had known before. Now I have at last understood your question.
No, Hebrew has no name MAriam. So, it should be, if not the pronounciation difference, a nickname.
Josef ASH, Israel

In my family, the various Miriam's were shortened to Mary, Marion, Mimi and Mim in the UK. One of my great aunts known as Cissie Miriam (but born Miriam) was named after her grandmother Cyza Malka (from Rajgrod in Lomza gubernia NE Poland). 

Jill Whitehead, Surrey, UK

My great-aunt Miriam was nicknamed Mae. She was Mae to everyone.

Susan Sorkenn

I know someone who is of Persian background (non-Jewish) whose name is Maryam. I've always assumed it was a variation of Miriam, not a nickname. My late aunt who was killed in the Holocaust was named Mirjam (German spelling) and her family's nickname for her was Malli.

Denise Suttle

Russian popular nicknames for Miriam:
Masha, Mashenka, Mashunia, Mashuta, Mania, Maniechka, Maniuta, Maniusia, Maniusha, Mariasha, Maniasha, Mariyka, Mariushka, Marusia, Marusienka, Marisha

and a few Polish:

Marysia, Marylka, Marynia, Marysieńka, Maryśka, Maryś, Maryjka

Yes, I agree that this is a variation on the name Miriam. My great grandmother was known as Maryam, but her Hebrew name was Miriam. I don't know if this might e a Yiddish form o the name or not.
Ellen Stepak
Tel Aviv

My sister's English name is Anne.  Her Hebrew name is Chana.  I would think that Mira is a diminutive for Miriam.
--
Barbara Sloan
Conway, SC

My cousin Miriam was known as Mura. She was born in Russian Empire, grew up in Berlin, then France and lived out her life in New York. So was Mura a Russian version? It took years for me to realise that her name was actually Miriam

Anna Doggart UK Researching FRIEDLAND HEIFETZ SCHWARZKOPF LEVIN MENDEL