Marian
A variant of Marion, a medieval derivation of Mary, often also interpreted as a contraction of Mary and Ann, or as a variant of Mariana.
Every Marian since 1880 — 143,295 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Marian
Marian is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,103 in 2025 with 217 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 143,295 American babies have been named Marian. Its peak came in 1924, when 4,235 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Marian stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Marian year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 217 | #1,103 | — | — |
| 2024 | 209 | #1,154 | — | — |
| 2023 | 210 | #1,156 | — | — |
| 2022 | 214 | #1,141 | — | — |
| 2021 | 173 | #1,310 | 5 | #13,368 |
| 2020 | 164 | #1,347 | 6 | #11,488 |
| 2019 | 190 | #1,237 | — | — |
| 2018 | 197 | #1,205 | — | — |
| 2017 | 190 | #1,248 | 7 | #10,388 |
| 2016 | 203 | #1,216 | 9 | #8,572 |
| 2015 | 236 | #1,100 | — | — |
| 2014 | 191 | #1,264 | — | — |
| 2013 | 172 | #1,356 | — | — |
| 2012 | 185 | #1,289 | — | — |
| 2011 | 151 | #1,486 | — | — |
| 2010 | 210 | #1,159 | — | — |
| 2009 | 169 | #1,402 | — | — |
| 2008 | 194 | #1,284 | 7 | #10,617 |
| 2007 | 182 | #1,339 | — | — |
| 2006 | 202 | #1,202 | — | — |
| 2005 | 204 | #1,144 | 5 | #12,644 |
| 2004 | 208 | #1,101 | — | — |
| 2003 | 191 | #1,139 | — | — |
| 2002 | 198 | #1,075 | — | — |
| 2001 | 207 | #1,039 | — | — |
| 2000 | 315 | #735 | — | — |
| 1995 | 153 | #1,148 | — | — |
| 1990 | 203 | #938 | 10 | #5,245 |
| 1985 | 201 | #813 | — | — |
| 1980 | 215 | #769 | 8 | #4,787 |
| 1975 | 207 | #715 | 5 | #5,989 |
| 1970 | 381 | #515 | — | — |
| 1965 | 599 | #373 | — | — |
| 1960 | 1,024 | #285 | 10 | #2,796 |
| 1955 | 1,499 | #208 | 16 | #2,022 |
| 1950 | 1,258 | #212 | 9 | #2,707 |
| 1945 | 1,446 | #163 | 10 | #2,341 |
| 1940 | 1,694 | #142 | 11 | #2,267 |
| 1935 | 2,265 | #105 | 27 | #1,316 |
| 1930 | 3,213 | #80 | 40 | #1,107 |
| 1925 | 3,979 | #67 | 27 | #1,440 |
| 1920 | 3,845 | #73 | 30 | #1,341 |
| 1915 | 2,612 | #86 | 25 | #1,361 |
| 1910 | 806 | #106 | 10 | #1,092 |
| 1905 | 455 | #136 | 5 | #1,357 |
| 1900 | 408 | #145 | 8 | #1,017 |
| 1895 | 265 | #161 | — | — |
| 1890 | 112 | #231 | 5 | #1,098 |
| 1885 | 64 | #252 | 5 | #1,032 |
| 1880 | 56 | #205 | — | — |
Famous people named Marian
- Marian Rejewski Mathematician · 1905–1980
- Marian Gold Singer · b. 1954
- Marian Anderson Singer · 1897–1993
- Marian Smoluchowski Physicist · 1872–1917
- Marian Jaworski Religious figure · b. 1926
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Marian mean?
A variant of Marion, a medieval derivation of Mary, often also interpreted as a contraction of Mary and Ann, or as a variant of Mariana.
How popular is the name Marian in 2025?
Marian ranked #1,103 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 217 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Marian?
143,295 babies have been named Marian in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Marian most popular?
Marian peaked in 1924, when 4,235 newborns received the name.
Is Marian a boy or girl name?
Marian is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Marian rising or falling?
Marian is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Marian?
Well-known people named Marian include Marian Rejewski (mathematician), Marian Gold (singer), Marian Anderson (singer).