Total births
2,279
Girls' name · since 1919
Marilu
2,279 babies named Marilu in U.S. Social Security records since 1919, with the highest year being 1991. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #7298
- among girls today
- 2,279
- born since 1919
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other girls
2,279 babies have been named Marilu since 1919, making it today's #7298 girls' name.
Marilu has 2,279 recorded births among girls since 1919, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #7298 as of the latest data, more common than 59% of girls, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1919 to 2025.
- #7298 among girls today
- 2,279 born since 1919
- 1990s peak decade
- 59% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Marilu is currently the #7298 girls' name in America, more common than 59% of girls - 2,279 born since 1919, peaking in the 1990s.
- #7298
- among girls today
- 2,279
- born since 1919
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other girls
Marilu vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#7298
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 59% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Marilu was born in this single decade.
1991
Single peak year
55 babies were named Marilu in 1991 - its busiest year on record.
How Marilu compares
2,279 Top 20% higher than 80% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Marilu's all-time total is 6x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Marilu | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,279 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 55 | 48 | 19,840 |
Marilu's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Marilu's SSA record in two at 1974 and the more recent half accounts for 66% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 34%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1919, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1991 peak of 55, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Marilu at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1991
Current rank
#7,298
Active since
1919
Marilu popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1919–2025
- Peak year (1991)
- 55
- Annual births at peak, across 107 years of records
Marilu by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Marilu's strongest decade.
443 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Marilu births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 5
1910s
5 births
- 1920s 67
1920s
67 births
- 1930s 116
1930s
116 births
- 1940s 136
1940s
136 births
- 1950s
1950s
196 births
- 1960s 167
1960s
167 births
- 1970s
1970s
225 births
- 1980s
1980s
373 births
- 1990s
1990s
443 births
- 2000s
2000s
282 births
- 2010s
2010s
181 births
- 2020s 88
2020s
88 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 443 births (19% of all-time use).
How Marilu compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Marilu's total volume
Marilu vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Marilu by state
Where Marilu concentrates geographically, total births since 1919
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 539 | 23.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 301 | 13.2% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 79 | 3.5% |
| #4 | New York | | 38 | 1.7% |
| #5 | Florida | | 10 | 0.4% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 5 | 0.2% |
California share of Marilu's total US births 23.7%
Even split
539 of 2,279 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Marilu? ▼
Since 1919, Social Security records show 2,279 babies named Marilu. Today it holds rank #7298 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1991, with 55 births.
When was Marilu most popular? ▼
Marilu was most popular in the 1990s decade with 443 total births. The single peak year was 1991.
Where is Marilu most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Marilu are California (539 births), Texas (301 births), Illinois (79 births).
How long has the name Marilu been used? ▼
Records for Marilu go back to 1919, giving 107 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Marilu? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mary, Margaret, Maria, Martha, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Marilu's data
- Marilu's decade-level peak was the 1990s (443 total births); usage has since declined to 88 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Marilus (539 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Marilu
Nearby Names Like Marilu
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Marilu
Mary Girl
#131 4,141,481 births
Margaret Girl
#119 1,264,774 births
Maria Girl
#74 566,111 births
Martha Girl
#666 551,741 births
Marie Girl
#632 540,077 births
Compare Marilu side by side: Marilu vs Mary Marilu vs Margaret Marilu vs Maria
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Marilu
Emila #7297
166 births · Peak 2024
Nicola #7299
5,078 births · Peak 1972
Adrianne #7296
13,332 births · Peak 1983
Valli #7300
753 births · Peak 1952
Johnna #7295
10,029 births · Peak 1963
Aubry #7301
3,020 births · Peak 2008
Ellinore #7294
151 births · Peak 2020
Tracey #7302
86,515 births · Peak 1970
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1919–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Marilu: #7298 Girls' Name - 2,279 Births, Peak 1991." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/marilu. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Marilu draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.