Everyone knows someone called Mary. Either an aunt, sister, mother, grandmother, friend or neighbour. According to statistics it was the most popular name for girls in the years 1700, 1800 and 1850 in the United Kingdom, in 1875 in the U.K and America and in 1900, 1925, 1940 and 1960 in the United States of America. The French version of Mary is Marie, Spanish is Maria and it is Maria in Sweden. In Hebrew it is Miriam and the Greek Miriam is found in the New Testament. Today some of the modern versions are Moira and Marilyn. Although it has not been in popular use over the past 30 years those that still use it to name their new baby daughter are often aware of its religious significance. It is regarded as a name of great potency and is used more by the Roman Catholic religion than any other. The name Mary means "wished for child" or "the one longed for" and its roots are deep in religion. Jane Firbank says that the name of Mary " has the attraction of not showing the social class of the owner"

Mary had a little lamb

 Its fleece was white as snow

 And everywhere that Mary went

 The lamb was sure to go

A rhyme known to children everywhere. Mary's father was a shepherd in the Welsh hills and Mary would look after any weak or sick lambs which he brought home. Two of these lambs became her special pets and she called them Billy and Nell. They followed her everywhere watching when she left for school and waiting when she came home. Once Billy escaped and turned up at her classroom. The story spread throughout Llangollen where she lived and a few years later a visitor from London, Jane Buell, heard about it from Mary herself. Jane Buell was a writer of stories and rhymes for children and before long had turned Billy's escapade into five short verses. When Mary was an old lady of 87 she said that it was wonderful to hear her story on the lips of so many children