Marlene
A female given name from Hebrew borrowed from German in early 20th century.
Every Marlene since 1904 — 130,932 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Marlene
Marlene is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,268 in 2025 with 177 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1904, 130,932 American babies have been named Marlene. Its peak came in 1936, when 5,354 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1930s.
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 Marlene stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Marlene 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 | 177 | #1,268 | — | — |
| 2024 | 137 | #1,558 | — | — |
| 2023 | 167 | #1,354 | — | — |
| 2022 | 191 | #1,257 | — | — |
| 2021 | 141 | #1,502 | — | — |
| 2020 | 135 | #1,568 | — | — |
| 2019 | 160 | #1,408 | — | — |
| 2018 | 163 | #1,384 | — | — |
| 2017 | 194 | #1,235 | — | — |
| 2016 | 199 | #1,231 | — | — |
| 2015 | 216 | #1,169 | — | — |
| 2014 | 211 | #1,168 | — | — |
| 2013 | 230 | #1,076 | — | — |
| 2012 | 257 | #983 | — | — |
| 2011 | 299 | #874 | — | — |
| 2010 | 293 | #901 | — | — |
| 2009 | 392 | #739 | — | — |
| 2008 | 491 | #629 | — | — |
| 2007 | 591 | #528 | — | — |
| 2006 | 591 | #515 | — | — |
| 2005 | 537 | #538 | — | — |
| 2004 | 606 | #485 | — | — |
| 2003 | 559 | #513 | — | — |
| 2002 | 510 | #540 | — | — |
| 2001 | 487 | #544 | — | — |
| 2000 | 519 | #513 | — | — |
| 1995 | 577 | #444 | — | — |
| 1990 | 670 | #391 | 9 | #5,653 |
| 1985 | 445 | #474 | — | — |
| 1980 | 440 | #479 | — | — |
| 1975 | 493 | #409 | — | — |
| 1970 | 862 | #316 | 6 | #4,554 |
| 1965 | 1,212 | #247 | — | — |
| 1960 | 1,645 | #209 | 6 | #3,915 |
| 1955 | 2,566 | #142 | 6 | #3,741 |
| 1950 | 3,130 | #112 | 5 | #4,008 |
| 1945 | 2,528 | #110 | 13 | #1,984 |
| 1940 | 3,118 | #80 | 17 | #1,722 |
| 1935 | 4,830 | #39 | 12 | #2,202 |
| 1930 | 306 | #388 | — | — |
| 1925 | 58 | #983 | — | — |
| 1920 | 56 | #986 | — | — |
| 1915 | 33 | #1,214 | — | — |
| 1910 | 10 | #1,587 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Marlene
- Marlene Dietrich Actor · 1901–1992
- Marlene Ahrens Athlete · 1933–2020
- Marlene Dumas Painter · b. 1953
- Marlene Favela Actor · b. 1976
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Marlene mean?
A female given name from Hebrew borrowed from German in early 20th century.
How popular is the name Marlene in 2025?
Marlene ranked #1,268 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 177 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Marlene?
130,932 babies have been named Marlene in the United States since 1904, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Marlene most popular?
Marlene peaked in 1936, when 5,354 newborns received the name.
Is Marlene a boy or girl name?
Marlene is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Marlene rising or falling?
Marlene is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Marlene?
Well-known people named Marlene include Marlene Dietrich (actor), Marlene Ahrens (athlete), Marlene Dumas (painter).