First Names Quiz: Mary Who?

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This Mary's real name was Mary Stuart. She was a cousin of Elizabeth 1 of England, and the daughter of James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise. She is best known what name?

Answer: Mary Queen of Scots

Mary Stuart was born at Linlithgow in 1542, and was executed at Fotheringay in 1587. She became Queen of Scotland while only a few days old, and was sent to France in 1548. Here, she was married to the Dauphin (later Francis II) but was widowed at eighteen. She returned to England and married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, with whom she had a son named James, who later became King of both England and Scotland.

After Darnley's death, she married Bothwell, but became mixed up in plots to put her on the English throne.

She was arrested and kept at Fotheringay Castle, where she was finally executed.

2. This blonde-haired Mary was born in Wales and became a pop singer in the 1960s. Her hits include "Knock, Knock, Who's There?" and "Goodbye". She is

Answer: Mary Hopkin

Mary Hopkin was born in Pontardawe, Wales, in 1950. She appeared on the TV show Opportunity Knocks, where (perhaps with the help of her friend Twiggy) she was spotted by Paul McCartney. She began recording on the Beatles' Apple label. She lived in America for a while, and then returned to Wales. She was still singing in 2002.

3. This Mary was present at the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus. She is best known as:

Answer: Mary Magdalene

There are several women named Mary mentioned in the New Testament, and Mary Magdalene is part of this tradition. She was one of the three Marys present at the crucifiction, and the one whom Jesus met in the garden after he left the tomb. Mary Magdalene has come to represent a loving disciple.

4. This Mary was the half sister of Elizabeth I of England. Her parents were Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.

Answer: Mary Tudor

Mary Tudor, also known as Mary I, was born in 1516. She was the child of Henry Vlll and his first wife, Catherine, and became queen after the death of her half brother Edward and the forced abdication of his successor Lady Jane Grey (the 9 Days Queen) in 1553.

The year after this, Mary married Philip, the son of King Charles of Spain. Her reign was an uneasy one. Fervently Catholic, she persecuted protestants to a degree that earned her the nickname "Bloody Mary". She became ill in 1558 and died later that year, leaving her half sister Elizabeth to inherit the throne.

5. This Mary was part of the singing trio of Peter, Paul and Mary. Their hits included "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" and "Puff the Magic Dragon".

Answer: Mary Travers

Mary Allin Travers, Paul Stookey and Peter Yarrow formed the famed folk singing trio. Mary, of the long blonde hair and sweet singing voice, was born in 1936 in Louisville, Kentucky.

6. This fictional Mary was described as looking "like a Dutch doll". She arrived as nanny to a family of children living in Cherry Tree Lane, and left when the wind changed. She was:

Answer: Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins, vain, self-satisfied, contrary, sarcastic and yet strangely loving, was the creation of author P.L. Travers (1899-1996)whose real name was Helen Lyndon Goff. Miss Goff, a Queenslander, became an actress in childhood, taking the stage name of Pamela Lyndon Travers.

The first Mary Poppins book was published in 1934, and seven more followed. Mary herself is one of the oddest heroines in the children's literature of the period. She can talk to animals, and knows all kinds of odd people.

She seems to do magic, but it is of a very unusual kind. The Banks children, Jane and Michael, John and Barbara and Annabel, love her and miss her whenever she goes away. The first book was made into a film starring Julie Andrews as a much sweeter version of the Mary Poppins character.

7. This Mary is the heroine of an Irish song. She comes from Tralee, and her lover calls her by a four word descriptive name, which gives the song its title.

Answer: The Rose of Tralee

"The Rose of Tralee" is a ballad with music written by Charles William Glover (1806 - 1836) and words by E. Mordaunt Spencer. At least, that's what some sources say. Others claim the song was written by William Pembroke Mulchinock for his sweetheart Mary O'Connor.

8. This Mary is one of the best known of Australian children's writers. Her books include "The Twins of Emu Plains" and "'Possum", but she is best known for the "Billabong" series. She is:

Answer: Mary Grant Bruce

Mary Grant Bruce was born in Sale, Victoria in 1878, and had her first book, "A Little Bush Maid", published in book form in 1910. While working in England she married her cousin. The couple lived in Victoria, Ireland, and England, and the marriage produced two sons, Jonathan and Pat. Pat died in childhood. Famous for her "Billabong" series, Mary soon found her non-series books sold far fewer copies, but she continued to produce both types.

She died in 1958, while on an extended visit to England.

9. This Mary is a much loved British author of romantic suspense and stories about Merlin. Her titles include "Touch Not the Cat" and "Thornyhold".

Answer: Mary Stewart

Mary Florence Elinor Stewart was born in Sunderland, County Durham, England in 1916. She was a university lecturer for a time, and married a geologist named F. H. Stewart. Her first book, "Madam, Will You Talk?" was published in 1955. Her books are often set in exotic locations, and feature likable heroines and pleasant heroes. Occasionally there is a touch of fantasy.

10. This Mary wrote one of the most famous horror stories of all time! She was born Mary Godwin, but by what name do most readers know her?

Answer: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Mary Wollstonecraft (Godwin) Shelley was born in 1797 and married Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1816. (Wollstonecraft was her mother's maiden name.)

Lord Byron challenged members of his poetic circle to write "a ghost story" but only Mary finished hers. It appeared as "Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus" in 1818. Mary died in 1851.

Source: Author Sallyo

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor DakotaNorth before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

First Names Quiz: Mary Who? | 10 Questions

This quiz is all about people named Mary. See how many of them you can identify!

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