Marilyn
A twentieth-century blend of Mary and Lynn.
Every Marilyn since 1899 — 374,857 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Marilyn
Marilyn is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #761 in 2025 with 356 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1899, 374,857 American babies have been named Marilyn. Its peak came in 1947, when 11,905 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
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 Marilyn stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Marilyn 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 | 356 | #761 | — | — |
| 2024 | 436 | #665 | — | — |
| 2023 | 378 | #744 | — | — |
| 2022 | 423 | #698 | — | — |
| 2021 | 409 | #706 | — | — |
| 2020 | 457 | #634 | — | — |
| 2019 | 467 | #634 | — | — |
| 2018 | 498 | #607 | — | — |
| 2017 | 585 | #531 | — | — |
| 2016 | 634 | #491 | — | — |
| 2015 | 748 | #426 | — | — |
| 2014 | 798 | #404 | — | — |
| 2013 | 837 | #373 | — | — |
| 2012 | 744 | #422 | — | — |
| 2011 | 535 | #545 | — | — |
| 2010 | 536 | #548 | — | — |
| 2009 | 524 | #581 | — | — |
| 2008 | 545 | #565 | — | — |
| 2007 | 599 | #522 | — | — |
| 2006 | 598 | #509 | — | — |
| 2005 | 513 | #560 | — | — |
| 2004 | 499 | #573 | — | — |
| 2003 | 514 | #545 | — | — |
| 2002 | 507 | #543 | — | — |
| 2001 | 553 | #496 | — | — |
| 2000 | 524 | #509 | — | — |
| 1995 | 576 | #446 | 5 | #9,769 |
| 1990 | 582 | #433 | — | — |
| 1985 | 522 | #422 | 6 | #6,239 |
| 1980 | 579 | #394 | — | — |
| 1975 | 651 | #339 | 6 | #5,207 |
| 1970 | 1,256 | #248 | 6 | #4,551 |
| 1965 | 2,490 | #151 | 13 | #2,331 |
| 1960 | 4,071 | #118 | 9 | #2,999 |
| 1955 | 8,409 | #49 | 19 | #1,827 |
| 1950 | 9,285 | #37 | 15 | #1,992 |
| 1945 | 9,534 | #27 | 17 | #1,672 |
| 1940 | 8,704 | #25 | 41 | #1,017 |
| 1935 | 10,418 | #14 | 33 | #1,157 |
| 1930 | 9,288 | #22 | 29 | #1,359 |
| 1925 | 3,419 | #83 | — | — |
| 1920 | 522 | #288 | — | — |
| 1915 | 109 | #631 | — | — |
| 1910 | 18 | #1,051 | — | — |
| 1905 | 10 | #1,276 | — | — |
| 1900 | 12 | #1,148 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Marilyn
- Marilyn Monroe Actor · 1926–1962
- Marilyn Manson Musician · b. 1969
- Marilyn vos Savant Writer · b. 1946
- Marilyn Chambers Actor · 1952–2009
- Marilyn Horne Singer · b. 1934
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Marilyn mean?
A twentieth-century blend of Mary and Lynn.
How popular is the name Marilyn in 2025?
Marilyn ranked #761 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 356 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Marilyn?
374,857 babies have been named Marilyn in the United States since 1899, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Marilyn most popular?
Marilyn peaked in 1947, when 11,905 newborns received the name.
Is Marilyn a boy or girl name?
Marilyn is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Marilyn rising or falling?
Marilyn is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Marilyn?
Well-known people named Marilyn include Marilyn Monroe (actor), Marilyn Manson (musician), Marilyn vos Savant (writer).