while the name "έβρος" (hebros) was used in ancient greek, the name "μαρίτσα" (maritsa) had become standard before the ancient form "έβρος" (now: évros) was artificially restituted in modern greek. the name "maritsa" may derive from a mountain near the mouth of the river known in antiquity as "μηρισός" or "μήριζος", latinized as merit(h)us.