Total births
33,045
Unisex name · since 1937
Marley
Since 1937, U.S. Social Security records show 33,045 babies named Marley, peaking in 2008. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #285
- among girls today
- 33,045
- born since 1937
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other girls
33,045 babies have been named Marley since 1937, making it today's #285 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Marley recorded 33,045 times among girls since 1937, holding rank #285 nationally today, ahead of 98% of girls, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1937 to 2025.
- #285 among girls today
- 33,045 born since 1937
- 2010s peak decade
- 98% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Marley is currently the #285 unisex name in America, more common than 98% of girls - 33,045 born since 1937, peaking in the 2010s.
- #285
- among girls today
- 33,045
- born since 1937
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other girls
Marley vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#285
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 98% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
43% of everyone ever named Marley was born in this single decade.
2008
Single peak year
2,359 babies were named Marley in 2008 - its busiest year on record.
How Marley compares
33,045 Top 4% higher than 96% 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
Marley's all-time total is 87x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Marley | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 33,045 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 2,359 | 48 | 19,840 |
Marley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Marley splits its recorded history at 1989: 98% of all births land in the more recent half, 2% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1948 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2008 peak of 2,359 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Marley at a glance
Top 1,000 girls' namePeak year
2008
Current rank
#285
Active since
1937
Marley popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1937–2025
- Peak year (2008)
- 2,359
- Annual births at peak, across 89 years of records
Marley popularity over time - boys
5,359 total births recorded since 1914 (Marley as boys' name)
Marley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Marley's strongest decade.
14,235 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 43% of all-time use.
Marley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 12
1930s
12 births
- 1940s 18
1940s
18 births
- 1950s 38
1950s
38 births
- 1960s 41
1960s
41 births
- 1970s 124
1970s
124 births
- 1980s 497
1980s
497 births
- 1990s 2,035
1990s
2,035 births
- 2000s
2000s
8,992 births
- 2010s
2010s
14,235 births
- 2020s
2020s
7,053 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 14,235 births (43% of all-time use).
How Marley 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 Marley's total volume
Marley vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Marley by state
Where Marley concentrates geographically, total births since 1937
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 3,422 | 10.4% |
| #2 | Texas | | 2,542 | 7.7% |
| #3 | Florida | | 1,776 | 5.4% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 1,338 | 4.0% |
| #5 | New York | | 1,256 | 3.8% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 1,236 | 3.7% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 1,193 | 3.6% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 1,109 | 3.4% |
California share of Marley's total US births 10.4%
Even split
3,422 of 33,045 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Marley appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Marley? ▼
Since 1937, Social Security records show 33,045 babies named Marley. Today it holds rank #285 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2008, with 2,359 births.
When was Marley most popular? ▼
Marley was most popular in the 2010s decade with 14,235 total births. The single peak year was 2008.
Where is Marley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Marley are California (3,422 births), Texas (2,542 births), Florida (1,776 births).
Is Marley a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Marley is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 33,045 births, and as a boy's name it has 5,359 births.
How long has the name Marley been used? ▼
Records for Marley go back to 1937, giving 89 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Marley? ▼
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 Marley's data
- Marley's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (14,235 total births) through the 2020s (7,053) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Marleys (3,422 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 Marley
Nearby Names Like Marley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Marley
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 Marley side by side: Marley vs Mary Marley vs Margaret Marley vs Maria
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Marley
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, 1937–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Marley: #285 Unisex Name - 33,045 Births, Peak 2008." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/marley. 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 Marley 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.