Total births
2,838
Girls' name · since 1940
Marlana
2,838 babies named Marlana in U.S. Social Security records since 1940, with the highest year being 1978. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 2,838
- total births
- 1940–2025
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
Marlana is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 2,838 have been recorded since 1940.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Marlana has been recorded 2,838 times among girls since 1940, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1940 to 2025.
- 2,838 total births
- 1940–2025 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 28% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
2,838 girls have been named Marlana since 1940, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2025.
- 2,838
- total births
- 1940–2025
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Marlana was born in this single decade.
1978
Single peak year
169 babies were named Marlana in 1978 - its busiest year on record.
Marlana's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Marlana's SSA record in two at 1982 and the more recent half accounts for 55% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 45%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1941, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1978 peak of 169, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Marlana at a glance
Last recorded 2025Peak year
1978
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1940
Marlana popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1940–2025
- Peak year (1978)
- 169
- Annual births at peak, across 86 years of records
Marlana by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Marlana's strongest decade.
805 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Marlana births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 87
1940s
87 births
- 1950s 133
1950s
133 births
- 1960s 253
1960s
253 births
- 1970s
1970s
637 births
- 1980s
1980s
805 births
- 1990s
1990s
539 births
- 2000s 245
2000s
245 births
- 2010s 104
2010s
104 births
- 2020s 35
2020s
35 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 805 births (28% of all-time use).
How Marlana 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 Marlana's total volume
Marlana vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Marlana by state
Where Marlana concentrates geographically, total births since 1940
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 92 | 3.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 80 | 2.8% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 79 | 2.8% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 62 | 2.2% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 51 | 1.8% |
| #6 | Florida | | 47 | 1.7% |
| #7 | New York | | 33 | 1.2% |
| #8 | Kentucky | | 27 | 1.0% |
California share of Marlana's total US births 3.2%
Even split
92 of 2,838 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 23 reporting states.
Marlana appears in 23 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Marlana? ▼
Since 1940, Social Security records show 2,838 babies named Marlana. The most recent recorded year was 2025. Its busiest year on record was 1978, with 169 births.
When was Marlana most popular? ▼
Marlana was most popular in the 1980s decade with 805 total births. The single peak year was 1978.
Where is Marlana most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Marlana are California (92 births), Texas (80 births), Pennsylvania (79 births).
How long has the name Marlana been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Marlana since 1940 -- 86 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Marlana? ▼
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 Marlana's data
- Marlana's decade-level peak was the 1980s (805 total births); usage has since declined to 35 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Marlanas (92 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 Marlana
Nearby Names Like Marlana
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Marlana
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 Marlana side by side: Marlana vs Mary Marlana vs Margaret Marlana vs Maria
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Taisha #5848
2,838 births · Peak 1984
Rosalba #13633
2,837 births · Peak 1980
Lashay #13771
2,837 births · Peak 1992
Ariyanna #3940
2,837 births · Peak 2010
Cameryn #3433
2,840 births · Peak 1999
Enedina #8006
2,841 births · Peak 1927
Marli #2056
2,841 births · Peak 2008
Allisson #2316
2,842 births · Peak 2008
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1940–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Marlana: Baby Name Since 1940 - 2,838 Births, Peak 1978." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/marlana. 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 Marlana 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 July 2026.