About the name Mario
Etymology & meaning
Mario is the Romance male form tied to the Roman family name Marius — adopted in Bulgaria, by sound and calendar practice alike, as the male counterpart of Maria. The form Marius stays closer to the Latin original.
History & patron saint
As a name of the Theotokos circle, Mario celebrates on the Dormition — Golyama Bogoroditsa (15 August), sharing the table with Maria and Marius. The name keeps no separate vita in Bulgaria — its feast is the Theotokos' own.
Traditions & customs
On Golyama Bogoroditsa a kurban is made for health and families attend church; the table crowns August's abundance. Celebrants named Mario often feast beside mothers and sisters named Maria.
Popularity & notable bearers
Mario has grown popular in Bulgaria since the 1970s and remains a steadily favoured boys' name — short, international, and anchored at home in the great Maria family.