The origins of the town's name are widely disputed. One claim is that the name derives from the medieval Marano family, who, throughout the course of the Saracen occupation of the nearby emirate of Amantea, provided refuge to those fleeing the Muslim conquest.
The town's name is a subject of debate, with one theory suggesting its origin lies with the medieval Marano family who offered sanctuary to individuals escaping the Muslim conquest during the Saracen rule of the nearby emirate of Amantea.