Fun Facts About the Name Marilyn
- An established favorite: Marilyn held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 34 consecutive years, from 1925 through 1958.
- More than 374 thousand babies named Marilyn: U.S. records list 374,846 babies given the name Marilyn from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,066 boys received the name Marilyn - about 1 boy for every 351 girls.
What Does the Name Marilyn Mean?
Marilyn is an English feminine name, generally explained as a blend of Mary and Lynn (or the ending -lyn). Its meaning is bound up with those elements rather than fixed by a single word. Mary comes through the Greek Mariam from the Hebrew Miriam, a name whose meaning is uncertain; explanations such as "beloved," "bitter," and "rebellious" have been proposed, but none is firmly established. Lynn derives from the Welsh llyn, meaning "lake." In names like Marilyn, however, the -lyn ending usually works as a feminine name suffix rather than a literal reference to a lake, so the combination is not a straightforward phrase meaning "beloved lake." Because the parent name Mary has no settled etymology, the overall meaning of Marilyn is best described as uncertain.
Marilyn Name History & Origins
Marilyn is a comparatively recent English given name, assembled from elements already in use rather than inherited whole from an older language. It fits the broad English pattern of feminine names ending in -lyn, a suffix that became productive in the 19th and 20th centuries. The name appears in English-speaking records by the 19th century and became common in the United States during the 20th.
The best-known bearer is the American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926 - 1962), born Norma Jeane Mortenson; the name was already in wide use before her career. Other bearers include the American opera singer Marilyn Horne. The name also appears with modified spellings such as Marilynn and Marylyn.
How Popular is the Name Marilyn?
Marilyn remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1925 to 1958. Its highest annual birth count was in 1947, and people born that year turn 79 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #761 | 356 | 0.0221% |
| 2024 | #666 | 432 | 0.0268% |
| 2023 | #742 | 378 | 0.0236% |
| 2022 | #698 | 422 | 0.0258% |
| 2021 | #707 | 407 | 0.0248% |
| 2020 | #634 | 457 | 0.0283% |
| 2019 | #634 | 467 | 0.0278% |
| 2018 | #607 | 498 | 0.0293% |
| 2017 | #531 | 585 | 0.0339% |
| 2016 | #490 | 634 | 0.0358% |
| 2015 | #426 | 748 | 0.0419% |
| 2014 | #404 | 797 | 0.0446% |
| 2013 | #373 | 837 | 0.0477% |
| 2012 | #422 | 744 | 0.0423% |
| 2011 | #546 | 534 | 0.0304% |
| 2010 | #548 | 536 | 0.0302% |
| 2009 | #581 | 524 | 0.0285% |
| 2008 | #565 | 545 | 0.0288% |
| 2007 | #522 | 599 | 0.0312% |
| 2006 | #509 | 598 | 0.0315% |
| 2005 | #560 | 513 | 0.0278% |
| 2004 | #573 | 499 | 0.0272% |
| 2003 | #545 | 514 | 0.0281% |
| 2002 | #543 | 507 | 0.0282% |
| 2001 | #496 | 553 | 0.0307% |
| 2000 | #509 | 524 | 0.0289% |
| 1999 | #527 | 481 | 0.0271% |
| 1998 | #490 | 518 | 0.0293% |
| 1997 | #447 | 567 | 0.0326% |
| 1996 | #416 | 611 | 0.0349% |
| 1995 | #446 | 576 | 0.0328% |
| 1994 | #460 | 552 | 0.0309% |
| 1993 | #415 | 599 | 0.0331% |
| 1992 | #380 | 680 | 0.0369% |
| 1991 | #435 | 584 | 0.0311% |
| 1990 | #433 | 582 | 0.0307% |
| 1989 | #394 | 628 | 0.0341% |
| 1988 | #425 | 547 | 0.0307% |
| 1987 | #418 | 532 | 0.0306% |
| 1986 | #442 | 488 | 0.0284% |
| 1985 | #422 | 522 | 0.0303% |
| 1984 | #418 | 509 | 0.0302% |
| 1983 | #368 | 612 | 0.0366% |
| 1982 | #400 | 582 | 0.0344% |
| 1981 | #390 | 579 | 0.0347% |
| 1980 | #394 | 579 | 0.0349% |
| 1979 | #389 | 559 | 0.0348% |
| 1978 | #341 | 634 | 0.0414% |
| 1977 | #361 | 608 | 0.0397% |
| 1976 | #341 | 648 | 0.0442% |
| 1975 | #339 | 651 | 0.0447% |
| 1974 | #315 | 725 | 0.0494% |
| 1973 | #300 | 776 | 0.0532% |
| 1972 | #294 | 856 | 0.0563% |
| 1971 | #240 | 1,216 | 0.0731% |
| 1970 | #248 | 1,256 | 0.0718% |
| 1969 | #218 | 1,398 | 0.0829% |
| 1968 | #198 | 1,577 | 0.0961% |
| 1967 | #167 | 1,960 | 0.1187% |
| 1966 | #170 | 1,994 | 0.1178% |
| 1965 | #151 | 2,490 | 0.1411% |
| 1964 | #146 | 2,792 | 0.1473% |
| 1963 | #125 | 3,314 | 0.1719% |
| 1962 | #127 | 3,608 | 0.1835% |
| 1961 | #122 | 3,797 | 0.1881% |
| 1960 | #117 | 4,071 | 0.2013% |
| 1959 | #109 | 4,343 | 0.2146% |
| 1958 | #96 | 4,948 | 0.2460% |
| 1957 | #82 | 5,743 | 0.2809% |
| 1956 | #70 | 6,926 | 0.3450% |
| 1955 | #49 | 8,409 | 0.4301% |
| 1954 | #35 | 10,814 | 0.5569% |
| 1953 | #36 | 10,742 | 0.5710% |
| 1952 | #38 | 9,803 | 0.5287% |
| 1951 | #41 | 9,148 | 0.5080% |
| 1950 | #37 | 9,285 | 0.5420% |
| 1949 | #33 | 9,865 | 0.5766% |
| 1948 | #33 | 9,937 | 0.5853% |
| 1947 | #29 | 11,881 | 0.6702% |
| 1946 | #29 | 10,711 | 0.6817% |
| 1945 | #27 | 9,534 | 0.7294% |
| 1944 | #27 | 9,738 | 0.7337% |
| 1943 | #27 | 10,144 | 0.7270% |
| 1942 | #27 | 9,907 | 0.7335% |
| 1941 | #30 | 8,557 | 0.7083% |
| 1940 | #25 | 8,703 | 0.7611% |
| 1939 | #19 | 9,538 | 0.8698% |
| 1938 | #19 | 9,745 | 0.8832% |
| 1937 | #13 | 9,739 | 0.9153% |
| 1936 | #13 | 11,064 | 1.0635% |
| 1935 | #14 | 10,418 | 0.9935% |
| 1934 | #17 | 9,382 | 0.8985% |
| 1933 | #16 | 9,126 | 0.9054% |
| 1932 | #16 | 10,567 | 0.9902% |
| 1931 | #19 | 9,664 | 0.9077% |
| 1930 | #22 | 9,288 | 0.8249% |
| 1929 | #33 | 6,731 | 0.6028% |
| 1928 | #38 | 6,066 | 0.5260% |
| 1927 | #46 | 5,554 | 0.4658% |
| 1926 | #65 | 4,370 | 0.3687% |
| 1925 | #83 | 3,419 | 0.2808% |
| 1924 | #101 | 2,860 | 0.2290% |
| 1923 | #118 | 2,286 | 0.1895% |
| 1922 | #145 | 1,698 | 0.1414% |
| 1921 | #253 | 696 | 0.0564% |
| 1920 | #288 | 522 | 0.0436% |
| 1919 | #314 | 404 | 0.0357% |
| 1918 | #422 | 245 | 0.0212% |
| 1917 | #523 | 164 | 0.0152% |
| 1916 | #555 | 146 | 0.0140% |
| 1915 | #631 | 109 | 0.0111% |
| 1914 | #675 | 75 | 0.0098% |
| 1913 | #686 | 58 | 0.0093% |
| 1912 | #671 | 56 | 0.0100% |
| 1911 | #784 | 31 | 0.0074% |
| 1910 | #1,051 | 18 | 0.0045% |
| 1909 | #899 | 21 | 0.0060% |
| 1908 | #782 | 25 | 0.0075% |
| 1907 | #939 | 17 | 0.0053% |
| 1906 | #759 | 24 | 0.0081% |
| 1905 | #1,276 | 10 | 0.0034% |
| 1904 | #1,788 | 6 | 0.0022% |
| 1903 | #1,114 | 11 | 0.0042% |
| 1901 | #1,595 | 6 | 0.0025% |
| 1900 | #1,148 | 12 | 0.0040% |
| 1899 | #1,759 | 5 | 0.0021% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | #8,866 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #9,769 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #9,629 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #6,004 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #8,070 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #7,423 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #6,240 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #4,823 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #4,273 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1978 | #5,522 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #5,207 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #5,016 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #2,960 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1972 | #3,271 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1971 | #4,219 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #4,551 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #3,234 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1968 | #3,559 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1967 | #2,558 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1966 | #3,778 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1965 | #2,332 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1964 | #3,492 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1963 | #2,491 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1962 | #2,328 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1961 | #2,111 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1960 | #3,000 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1959 | #2,259 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1958 | #2,140 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1957 | #2,950 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1956 | #1,594 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1955 | #1,827 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1954 | #2,018 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1953 | #1,660 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1952 | #2,336 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1951 | #1,712 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1950 | #1,992 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1949 | #2,082 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1948 | #1,916 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1947 | #1,542 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1946 | #1,586 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1945 | #1,672 | 17 | 0.0013% |
| 1944 | #1,465 | 22 | 0.0016% |
| 1943 | #1,273 | 30 | 0.0021% |
| 1942 | #1,239 | 32 | 0.0023% |
| 1941 | #1,181 | 32 | 0.0026% |
| 1940 | #1,017 | 41 | 0.0035% |
| 1939 | #1,158 | 32 | 0.0029% |
| 1938 | #1,084 | 36 | 0.0032% |
| 1937 | #939 | 45 | 0.0042% |
| 1936 | #1,042 | 38 | 0.0037% |
| 1935 | #1,157 | 33 | 0.0032% |
| 1934 | #1,070 | 38 | 0.0037% |
| 1933 | #1,392 | 24 | 0.0024% |
| 1932 | #1,107 | 38 | 0.0036% |
| 1931 | #1,249 | 31 | 0.0030% |
| 1930 | #1,359 | 29 | 0.0026% |
| 1929 | #1,258 | 32 | 0.0030% |
| 1928 | #1,740 | 20 | 0.0018% |
| 1927 | #1,728 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1926 | #2,833 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1924 | #4,736 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1922 | #4,714 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
