girl's name
Marie-Louise
ma-REE loo-EEZ (French)
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 4
- Letters 12
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 49,216
Marie-Louise means famous in battle on one side and nothing certain on the other — Louise is a solid Germanic compound, while Marie descends from a name that has never been securely translated. The name is reviving in France.
- Marie-Louise is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 1912, when 1,270 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in France.
- Today about 1 in 29,475 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
- 4 syllables.
Marie-Louise Over Time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 11,565 |
| 1910s | 9,155 |
| 1920s | 9,435 |
| 1930s | 5,570 |
| 1940s | 5,195 |
| 1950s | 4,535 |
| 1960s | 2,110 |
| 1970s | 595 |
| 1980s | 270 |
| 1990s | 190 |
| 2000s | 145 |
| 2010s | 120 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 90 |
What Marie-Louise Means
Marie-Louise joins Marie to Louise. Louise means famous in battle, from the Germanic, while Marie's own sense has never been established, so only half the compound is translatable.
Where Marie-Louise Comes From
Marie-Louise compounds Marie with Louise, the French feminine of Louis, from the Germanic Hludwig — hlud, famous or loud, joined to wig, battle. That compound also gives Ludwig and Clovis, the first Frankish king to convert to Christianity. Marie descends from the Hebrew Miriam, for which bitter, beloved and rebellious have all been proposed and none established. Marie Louise of Austria became Napoleon's second empress.
Marie-Louise in Use
Marie-Louise peaked in France in 1912, when 1,270 babies were registered, and it is reviving. It charts in exactly one market, at 1,484th in France on 20 births, across 49,216 lifetime births. It is one of the older hyphenated French compounds on record, predating the mid-century fashion that produced Marie-Claude and Marie-France by a generation.
How Popular Is Marie-Louise?
In 2025, Marie-Louise was given to 20 babies in France. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Marie-Louise Is Used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
How Marie-Louise Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Marielouise | Marielouise is Marie-Louise written as one word, used in the United States, where it ranks #16,398. | 99 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Marie-Louise
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Marie-Louise Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Marie-Louise over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Marie-Louise
- French ma-REE loo-EEZ /ma.ʁi lwiz/
1 nickname for Marie-Louise
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Marie-Louise in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Marie-Louise
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Marie-Louise — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Marie-Louise
What does Marie-Louise mean?
Louise means famous in battle. Marie's own meaning is unsettled.
Is Ludwig the same as Louise?
The same Germanic compound — Hludwig, which also gives Clovis.
Who was Marie Louise of Austria?
Napoleon's second empress.
Is Marie-Louise coming back?
It is reviving, at 1,484th in France.
How popular is the name Marie-Louise?
In 2025, Marie-Louise was given to 20 babies in France. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Marie-Louise a girl's or a boy's name?
Marie-Louise is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Marie-Louise?
Marie-Louise has 4 syllables.
When was Marie-Louise most popular?
Marie-Louise peaked in 1912, when 1,270 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Marie-Louise?
Marie-Louise is usually shortened to Marilou.
Is Marie-Louise a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Marie-Louise currently ranks #1,484 in France. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.