"And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me."
Biblical Name · Hebrew Origin
Mara Meaning in the Bible
Mara
girl
Mara means "Bitter; Grief", a girl's name of Hebrew origin. Mara appears in the King James Bible, and Ruth 1:20 is the passage most often tied to it. Mara — 'bitter' — is the name of honest grief. But Naomi's story proves that bitterness is never the final chapter. God specializes in transforming Mara back into Naomi — turning bitter sorrow into sweet joy.
Is Mara in the Bible?
Yes — Mara appears in the King James Bible, including Ruth 1:20.
Pronunciation:/MAR-uh/
OriginHebrew
MeaningBitter; Grief
What does Mara mean?
Mara is a girl name of Hebrew origin meaning "Bitter; Grief". Mara means "bitter" in Hebrew. It is the name Naomi chose for herself after losing her husband and both sons in Moab: "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me."
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Editor’s reflection
The name a grieving woman gave herself — and the one Scripture refuses to let stand.
Mara is Hebrew מָרָא, 'bitter,' from the root marar, 'to be bitter.' It is not a name anyone was given at birth in the Bible. It is a name a woman took for herself: 'Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me' (Ruth 1:20). Naomi means 'pleasant.' Returning to Bethlehem widowed and childless, she rejected her own name as a lie about her life.
The book of Ruth then spends three chapters quietly overturning her renaming. Nobody in the narrative ever calls her Mara. By the closing verses the women of Bethlehem are placing a grandson in her lap and saying the covenant God 'hath not left thee this day without a kinsman' (Ruth 4:14). The name she chose in grief is answered, not scolded — which is why the passage is read so often at funerals and in seasons of loss.
The same root shows up at Marah in Exodus 15, where Israel finds water it cannot drink until the LORD shows Moses a tree to cast into it. Bitterness made sweet is one of the oldest images in Scripture, and the name Mara sits directly on top of it. Parents choosing Mara today usually know this: it is a short, soft, two-syllable name that carries an unusually honest theology — sorrow named out loud rather than tidied away.
“I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty.”
Why parents choose Mara today
- •Short, soft and international — Mara reads easily in English, Spanish, German and Slavic families
- •Carries a real biblical story about grief being met rather than ignored
- •Distinct from the far more common Mary, Maria and Marah spellings
- •Pairs naturally with Ruth, Naomi and other Bethlehem names
What does Mara mean in the Bible?
Mara means "Bitter; Grief" and is a name of Hebrew origin. Below is what Scripture and Christian tradition attach to that meaning.
Mara means "bitter" in Hebrew. It is the name Naomi chose for herself after losing her husband and both sons in Moab: "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me."
Naomi's choice to rename herself Mara is one of the most emotionally raw moments in Scripture. She left Bethlehem full — with a husband and two sons — and returned empty, accompanied only by her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth. Her bitterness was real, honest, and directed at God Himself: "The Almighty hath afflicted me."
Yet the book of Ruth unfolds to reveal that God had not abandoned Naomi. Through Ruth's faithfulness, Boaz's redemption, and the birth of Obed (David's grandfather), Naomi's emptiness was filled beyond measure. The women of Bethlehem ultimately declared: "Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman."
Mara/Marah also appears in Exodus 15:23 as the place of bitter waters that God made sweet — another picture of divine transformation of bitterness into blessing.
Where does Mara appear in the Bible (KJV)?
Mara is connected to 2 key passages in the King James Bible, beginning with Ruth 1:20. Each verse is quoted in full below.
"And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah."
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What are the variants and nicknames of Mara?
Mara has 1 recorded variant, short form, and translation across languages and biblical traditions.
Variants & related forms
Which books of the Bible mention Mara?
Mara is mentioned across 2 books of the Bible. Follow any book below to read it in the KJV.
What is the spiritual meaning of Mara?
Related Promises of God
Promises connected to the meaning of the name Mara:
Related Reading
Continue your study with related content from across our library:
Miracle
The Bitter Waters of Marah Sweetened
Moses casts a tree into the bitter waters of Marah and they are made sweet for I
Promise
God Promises Comfort in Grief
Bible promises for those mourning the loss of a loved one.
Verses About
Bible Verses About Bitterness
10 curated KJV verses
Location
Marah in the Bible
The wilderness stop where bitter water was made sweet — Israel's first test afte
Prayer
Prayer for Bitterness
Uprooting bitterness before it defiles the soul.
Verses About
Bible Verses About Bitter Roots
10 curated KJV verses
What names are related to Mara?
Names like Mara
Other Hebrew biblical names that share the spirit of "Bitter; Grief" — discovered by matching meaning category and origin.
Eden
"Delight; Paradise; Pleasure"
unisex
Sharon
"A fertile plain; A place of beauty"
girl
Bethany
"House of figs; House of affliction"
girl
Bilhah
"Tender; Bashful; Faltering"
girl
Jemima
"Dove; Warm; Affectionate"
girl
Keturah
"Incense; Fragrance"
girl
Kezia
"Cassia; Cinnamon-like bark"
girl
Zephaniah
"The LORD has hidden; God protects"
boy
Names that pair well with Mara
Sibling sets, middle-name combinations, and complementary pairings chosen for matching origin, meaning, and similar syllable weight.
Share the meaning of Mara
Download a printable name card with the KJV verse and meaning — perfect for Pinterest, Instagram, or a baptism keepsake.
Mara name meaning: frequently asked questions
No. Mara is the name Naomi took during her grief in Ruth 1:20, and the book of Ruth exists to answer it: by chapter 4 she is restored through Ruth and Boaz, and the community never uses the name Mara again. Read in context the name marks honesty about sorrow and the God who reverses it, not a curse.
Yes — Mara appears in the King James Bible, including Ruth 1:20.
Mara means "Bitter; Grief." It is a Hebrew name. The King James Bible uses it in Ruth 1:20, so the meaning is carried by a real person in Scripture.
Common questions about the name Mara
Can I download a free King James Bible PDF to study the name Mara?
Yes. The complete King James Bible is available as a free PDF download — all 66 books, 1,189 chapters, ready to read offline or print. No sign-up required.
Where can I read the full biblical context for Mara?
You can read every verse where Mara appears in the King James Bible by downloading the free KJV PDF or reading online. The download page also includes a bookmarked Book of Psalms KJV PDF for easy reference.