Total births
7,264
Unisex name · since 1931
Marlo
Since 1931, U.S. Social Security records show 7,264 babies named Marlo, peaking in 1970. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1712
- among girls today
- 7,264
- born since 1931
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other girls
7,264 babies have been named Marlo since 1931, making it today's #1712 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Marlo has been recorded 7,264 times among girls since 1931, currently ranked #1712 nationally and more common than 90% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1931 to 2025.
- #1712 among girls today
- 7,264 born since 1931
- 1970s peak decade
- 90% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Marlo is currently the #1712 unisex name in America, more common than 90% of girls - 7,264 born since 1931, peaking in the 1970s.
- #1712
- among girls today
- 7,264
- born since 1931
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other girls
Marlo vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1712
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 90% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
35% of everyone ever named Marlo was born in this single decade.
1970
Single peak year
593 babies were named Marlo in 1970 - its busiest year on record.
How Marlo compares
7,264 Top 11% higher than 89% 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
Marlo's all-time total is 19x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Marlo | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 7,264 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 593 | 48 | 19,840 |
Marlo's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Marlo's full recorded timeline at 1981, 38% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 62% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1939, with just 6 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1970 peak of 593 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Marlo at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1970
Current rank
#1,712
Active since
1931
Marlo popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1931–2025
- Peak year (1970)
- 593
- Annual births at peak, across 95 years of records
Marlo popularity over time - boys
3,680 total births recorded since 1915 (Marlo as boys' name)
Marlo by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Marlo's strongest decade.
2,546 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Marlo births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 36
1930s
36 births
- 1940s 105
1940s
105 births
- 1950s 113
1950s
113 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,603 births
- 1970s
1970s
2,546 births
- 1980s 530
1980s
530 births
- 1990s 329
1990s
329 births
- 2000s 461
2000s
461 births
- 2010s 905
2010s
905 births
- 2020s 636
2020s
636 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 2,546 births (35% of all-time use).
How Marlo 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 Marlo's total volume
Marlo vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Marlo by state
Where Marlo concentrates geographically, total births since 1931
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 887 | 12.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 415 | 5.7% |
| #3 | New York | | 381 | 5.2% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 328 | 4.5% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 277 | 3.8% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 270 | 3.7% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 268 | 3.7% |
| #8 | Florida | | 166 | 2.3% |
California share of Marlo's total US births 12.2%
Even split
887 of 7,264 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 38 reporting states.
Marlo appears in 38 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Marlo? ▼
Since 1931, Social Security records show 7,264 babies named Marlo. Today it holds rank #1712 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1970, with 593 births.
When was Marlo most popular? ▼
Marlo was most popular in the 1970s decade with 2,546 total births. The single peak year was 1970.
Where is Marlo most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Marlo are California (887 births), Texas (415 births), New York (381 births).
Is Marlo a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Marlo is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 7,264 births, and as a boy's name it has 3,680 births.
How long has the name Marlo been used? ▼
Marlo has been recorded in Social Security data since 1931, spanning 95 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Marlo? ▼
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 Marlo's data
- Marlo's decade-level peak was the 1970s (2,546 total births); usage has since declined to 636 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Marlos (887 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 Marlo
Nearby Names Like Marlo
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Marlo
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 Marlo side by side: Marlo vs Mary Marlo vs Margaret Marlo vs Maria
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Marlo
Italy #1711
2,220 births · Peak 2018
Tia #1713
33,832 births · Peak 1982
Maribel #1710
24,870 births · Peak 1980
Siara #1714
2,132 births · Peak 2024
Vivien #1709
7,403 births · Peak 2014
Arlett #1715
1,410 births · Peak 2025
Evalina #1708
2,336 births · Peak 2025
Sedona #1716
2,381 births · Peak 2025
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, 1931–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Marlo: #1712 Unisex Name - 7,264 Births, Peak 1970." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/marlo. 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 Marlo 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.