Name is a person’s business card. When choosing a name for your child, you should not forget the Russian proverb “They meet you by their clothes…”, because the name is the very clothes by which the first impression of a person is formed. A name can be bright, flowery, unusual, even exotic, or, conversely, modest in sound, but filled with inner strength. The choice of name depends on many factors. For Orthodox Christians, it is important that the child is accompanied along the path of life by a guardian angel, so the name is selected in accordance with the day of remembrance of the revered saints – every day in the Russian Orthodox Church is dedicated to a saint. It happens that parents name a newborn after the father, mother, grandfather, grandmother or other ancestor or relative. In the recent past, in our country, children were named after people who glorified the Motherland – pilots, astronauts, athletes, film artists. Parents strive to ensure that their child’s name carries a positive charge, is harmonious, and corresponds to family and national traditions. But there are names in the history of mankind that are above fashion trends and exist outside of tradition. The history of civilization and spiritual development of all nations begins with such names. These names are simple and inexhaustible at the same time. One of these is the female name Maria. The series of books “Names of Russian Women” is designed to orient the reader to the origin of names, help them understand the meaning and significance of the name, choose a suitable name for a child, and also learn about famous namesakes who have glorified their names in world history. The next book in this series will tell readers about the name Maria.