Marilynn
Marilynn was the 3685th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 41 babies. Its best year was 1944, when it ranked 348th; the most babies were born in 1947 (407). Over the last ten years it has moved down 981 places. More babies were named Marilynn in the 1940s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Marilyn) blend of Mary and Lynn · English
- Rank in 2025
- #3,685 girls, down 634 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 41girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1947407 babies
- Total since 1880
- 13,282babies recorded
What does the name Marilynn mean?
Marilynn is a spelling of Marilyn, pronounced the same way, so it shares Marilyn's meaning and origin.
Marilyn is a 20th-century blend of Mary and Lynn, according to Wiktionary. Mary goes back to Hebrew Miryam, whose meaning DMNES calls uncertain. Lynn is a separate name. Marilyn was most common in the US in the 1930s and 1940s, and the actress Marilyn Monroe gave it lasting fame; Wiktionary notes that Scottish hillwalkers even call a class of hills "Marilyns" as a pun on her name.
Mary (English, “from Hebrew Miryam (uncertain)”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Coinage from two names; Mary's own origin is uncertain (DMNES).
Related names: Marylin, Marilynn, Mary, Lynn.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Marilyn' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Mary', DMNES (Durham University)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Marilynn popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,685 | 41 |
| 2020 | #3,051 | 53 |
| 2010 | #4,464 | 33 |
| 2000 | #6,131 | 18 |
| 1990 | #2,878 | 40 |
| 1980 | #3,378 | 25 |
| 1970 | #1,943 | 44 |
| 1960 | #1,036 | 109 |
| 1950 | #409 | 381 |
| 1940 | #357 | 331 |
| 1930 | #608 | 130 |
| 1920 | #734 | 97 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Marilynn, counting every spelling?
Marilynn is a spelling of Marilyn, a name family that ranked #678 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #3,685 for Marilynn on its own. Together these spellings went to 420 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marilyn | 356 | #761 | 2,002 |
| Marilynn | 41 | #3,685 | 228 |
| Marylynn | 16 | #7,024 | 62 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Marilynn?
41 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Marilynn (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Marilynn born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 204 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Marilynn.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Marilynn?
About 7,400 people born in the US named Marilynn are alive today, with a median age of 72; half are between 49 and 80. That makes Marilynn a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Marilynn by state
How common Marilynn was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Texas (1.8×). In 47 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Marilynn: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Marilynn, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Marilynn
What does Marilynn mean?
Marilynn is a spelling of Marilyn, usually explained as “blend of Mary and Lynn”, but this is uncertain. Certainty: uncertain.
How popular is the name Marilynn?
Marilynn was the 3685th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 41 babies. Its best year was 1944, when it ranked 348th; the most babies were born in 1947 (407). Over the last ten years it has moved down 981 places. More babies were named Marilynn in the 1940s than in any other decade.
Is Marilynn a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Marilynn in the US.
Where is Marilynn most popular?
In 2021–2025, Marilynn was most common in Texas (0.05 per 1,000 girls), followed by Washington and California.