Marlene
Marlene was the 1268th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 177 babies. Its best year was 1935, when it ranked 39th; the most babies were born in 1936 (5,332). Over the last ten years it has moved down 99 places. More babies were named Marlene in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Meaning Maria + Magdalene (German) · German, Hebrew
Say it mar-LEEN /mɑɹˈlin/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,268 girls, up 300 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 177girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19365,332 babies
- Total since 1880
- 130,932babies recorded
What does the name Marlene mean?
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.
Pronunciation: German: mar-LAY-nuh.
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)
Marlene popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 359 since 1931.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,268 | 177 |
| 2020 | #1,568 | 135 |
| 2010 | #901 | 293 |
| 2000 | #513 | 519 |
| 1990 | #391 | 670 |
| 1980 | #479 | 440 |
| 1970 | #316 | 862 |
| 1960 | #209 | 1,645 |
| 1950 | #112 | 3,130 |
| 1940 | #80 | 3,118 |
| 1930 | #388 | 306 |
| 1920 | #986 | 56 |
| 1910 | #1,587 | 10 |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Marlene, counting every spelling?
Marlene is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #948 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,268 for Marlene 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 Marlene?
177 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Marlene (0.05 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Marlene 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 47 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Marlene.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Marlene?
About 80,200 people born in the US named Marlene are alive today, with a median age of 69; half are between 50 and 79. That makes Marlene 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.
Marlene by state
How common Marlene was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Arizona (2.4×), Indiana (2.4×), Ohio (2.3×), California (1.8×), Pennsylvania (1.8×). In 35 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 Marlene: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Marlene, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Marlene · Sibling names for Marlene
Questions about the name Marlene
What does Marlene mean?
Marlene means “Maria + Magdalene (German)” (German, Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Marlene?
Marlene was the 1268th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 177 babies. Its best year was 1935, when it ranked 39th; the most babies were born in 1936 (5,332). Over the last ten years it has moved down 99 places. More babies were named Marlene in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Is Marlene a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Marlene in the US.
Where is Marlene most popular?
In 2021–2025, Marlene was most common in Arizona (0.24 per 1,000 girls), followed by Indiana and Ohio.