Marleen
Marleen was the 11554th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 8 babies. Its best year was 1939, when it ranked 747th; the most babies were born in 1951 (133). Over the last ten years it has moved down 4,388 places. More babies were named Marleen in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Marlene) Maria + Magdalene (German) · German, Hebrew
- Rank in 2025
- #11,554 girls, up 204 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 8girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1951133 babies
- Total since 1880
- 4,121babies recorded
What does the name Marleen mean?
Marleen is a spelling of Marlene, pronounced the same way, so it shares Marlene's meaning and origin.
Marlene is a German contraction of Maria and Magdalene, borrowed into English in the early 20th century, as Wiktionary notes; it became famous through the actress Marlene Dietrich (born Marie Magdalene) and the WWII song 'Lili Marleen'. Mary is from Hebrew Miryam, of uncertain origin, and Magdalene means 'of Magdala', a town whose name comes from a word for 'tower'.
Maria + Magdalena (German, “Mary Magdalene”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Marlena, Marleen, Magdalena, Mary.
See also: Hebrew names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Marlene', 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. 'Magdalene', DMNES (Durham University)
Marleen popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,554 | 8 |
| 2020 | #11,758 | 8 |
| 2010 | #5,056 | 28 |
| 2000 | #4,043 | 31 |
| 1990 | #3,776 | 28 |
| 1980 | #3,794 | 21 |
| 1970 | #1,646 | 57 |
| 1960 | #1,514 | 54 |
| 1950 | #771 | 126 |
| 1940 | #845 | 72 |
| 1930 | #3,544 | 8 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Marleen, counting every spelling?
Marleen is a spelling of Marlene, a name family that ranked #948 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #11,554 for Marleen on its own. Together these spellings went to 256 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marlene | 177 | #1,268 | 813 |
| Marlen | 42 | #3,626 | 229 |
| Marlyn | 22 | #5,653 | 107 |
| Marleen | 8 | #11,554 | 58 |
| Marlynn | 7 | #12,713 | 28 |
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 Marleen?
8 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Marleen (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Marleen 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 1,057 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Marleen.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Marleen?
About 3,100 people born in the US named Marleen are alive today, with a median age of 61; half are between 32 and 74. That makes Marleen a name most people associate with older generations. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
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.
Marleen by state
How common Marleen was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. In 50 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 Marleen: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Marleen, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Marleen
What does Marleen mean?
Marleen is a spelling of Marlene, which means “Maria + Magdalene (German)” (German, Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Marleen?
Marleen was the 11554th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 8 babies. Its best year was 1939, when it ranked 747th; the most babies were born in 1951 (133). Over the last ten years it has moved down 4,388 places. More babies were named Marleen in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Marleen a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Marleen in the US.
Where is Marleen most popular?
In 2021–2025, Marleen was most common in Texas (0.01 per 1,000 girls).