Marlyn
Every Marlyn since 1913 — 9,112 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Marlyn
Marlyn is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #5,653 in 2025 with 22 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1913, 9,112 American babies have been named Marlyn — about 75% girls and 25% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1935, when 278 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 Marlyn stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Marlyn 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 | 22 | #5,653 | — | — |
| 2024 | 19 | #6,320 | — | — |
| 2023 | 21 | #5,885 | — | — |
| 2022 | 21 | #5,902 | — | — |
| 2021 | 24 | #5,347 | — | — |
| 2020 | 30 | #4,510 | 5 | #13,355 |
| 2019 | 19 | #6,334 | — | — |
| 2018 | 22 | #5,722 | — | — |
| 2017 | 24 | #5,472 | 5 | #13,551 |
| 2016 | 38 | #3,975 | — | — |
| 2015 | 42 | #3,688 | 5 | #13,330 |
| 2014 | 59 | #2,914 | — | — |
| 2013 | 64 | #2,718 | — | — |
| 2012 | 82 | #2,306 | 12 | #6,885 |
| 2011 | 51 | #3,252 | — | — |
| 2010 | 61 | #2,861 | — | — |
| 2009 | 73 | #2,561 | 9 | #8,751 |
| 2008 | 54 | #3,146 | — | — |
| 2007 | 77 | #2,452 | 9 | #8,661 |
| 2006 | 71 | #2,573 | 5 | #13,303 |
| 2005 | 66 | #2,596 | 5 | #12,653 |
| 2004 | 72 | #2,383 | 8 | #8,643 |
| 2003 | 62 | #2,597 | 5 | #12,072 |
| 2002 | 55 | #2,764 | 7 | #9,046 |
| 2001 | 55 | #2,727 | — | — |
| 2000 | 47 | #3,004 | 9 | #7,199 |
| 1995 | 62 | #2,173 | — | — |
| 1990 | 65 | #2,063 | 6 | #7,752 |
| 1985 | 39 | #2,525 | — | — |
| 1980 | 36 | #2,632 | — | — |
| 1975 | 25 | #2,929 | 8 | #4,171 |
| 1970 | 41 | #2,034 | 8 | #3,717 |
| 1965 | 38 | #1,879 | 12 | #2,428 |
| 1960 | 37 | #1,875 | 11 | #2,633 |
| 1955 | 70 | #1,203 | 28 | #1,475 |
| 1950 | 88 | #967 | 28 | #1,384 |
| 1945 | 78 | #853 | 41 | #1,004 |
| 1940 | 140 | #590 | 55 | #856 |
| 1935 | 184 | #470 | 94 | #601 |
| 1930 | 87 | #751 | 81 | #695 |
| 1925 | 65 | #928 | 49 | #977 |
| 1920 | 14 | #2,539 | 22 | #1,674 |
| 1915 | 11 | #2,642 | 16 | #1,851 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Marlyn
- Marlyn Meltzer Computer scientist · 1922–2008
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Marlyn in 2025?
Marlyn ranked #5,653 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 22 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Marlyn?
9,112 babies have been named Marlyn in the United States since 1913, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Marlyn most popular?
Marlyn peaked in 1935, when 278 newborns received the name.
Is Marlyn a boy or girl name?
Marlyn is used for both: about 75% of babies named Marlyn have been girls and 25% boys.
Is the name Marlyn rising or falling?
Marlyn is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Marlyn?
Well-known people named Marlyn include Marlyn Meltzer (computer scientist).