girl's name
Marlyn
MAR-lin (English)
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 9,148
Marlyn is a girl's name with 2 syllables. It is given to both girls and boys — about 75% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2025 it was given to 22 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Peaked in 1935, when 278 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 150,716 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1913.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Marlyn Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 140 |
| 1920s | 978 |
| 1930s | 2,311 |
| 1940s | 1,431 |
| 1950s | 917 |
| 1960s | 549 |
| 1970s | 363 |
| 1980s | 447 |
| 1990s | 661 |
| 2000s | 689 |
| 2010s | 484 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 142 |
How Popular Is Marlyn?
In 2025, Marlyn was given to 22 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Where Marlyn Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Marlyn
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Marlyn Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Marlyn over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Marlyn
- English MAR-lin
Sibling Names for Marlyn
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Marlyn — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Marlyn
How popular is the name Marlyn?
In 2025, Marlyn was given to 22 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Marlyn a girl's or a boy's name?
Marlyn is used for both girls and boys. About 75% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Marlyn?
Marlyn has 2 syllables.
When was Marlyn most popular?
Marlyn peaked in 1935, when 278 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Marlyn a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Marlyn currently ranks #5,555 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.