Total births
6,806
Unisex name · since 1915
Marlyn
Marlyn has 6,806 recorded births since 1915 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1936 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #6194
- among girls today
- 6,806
- born since 1915
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 65%
- more common than other girls
6,806 babies have been named Marlyn since 1915, making it today's #6194 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Marlyn recorded 6,806 times among girls since 1915, holding rank #6194 nationally today, ahead of 65% of girls, peaking in the 1930s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2025.
- #6194 among girls today
- 6,806 born since 1915
- 1930s peak decade
- 65% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Marlyn is currently the #6194 unisex name in America, more common than 65% of girls - 6,806 born since 1915, peaking in the 1930s.
- #6194
- among girls today
- 6,806
- born since 1915
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 65%
- more common than other girls
Marlyn vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#6194
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 65% of names given to girls today.
1930s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Marlyn was born in this single decade.
1936
Single peak year
193 babies were named Marlyn in 1936 - its busiest year on record.
How Marlyn compares
6,806 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
Marlyn's all-time total is 18x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Marlyn | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 6,806 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 193 | 48 | 19,840 |
Marlyn's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Marlyn's SSA record in two at 1970 and the more recent half accounts for 37% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 63%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1916, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 1936 peak of 193, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Marlyn at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1936
Current rank
#6,194
Active since
1915
Marlyn popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2025
- Peak year (1936)
- 193
- Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
Marlyn popularity over time - boys
2,306 total births recorded since 1913 (Marlyn as boys' name)
Marlyn by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1930s was Marlyn's strongest decade.
1,492 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Marlyn births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 56
1910s
56 births
- 1920s 516
1920s
516 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,492 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,064 births
- 1950s
1950s
682 births
- 1960s 448
1960s
448 births
- 1970s 290
1970s
290 births
- 1980s 408
1980s
408 births
- 1990s
1990s
619 births
- 2000s
2000s
632 births
- 2010s 462
2010s
462 births
- 2020s 137
2020s
137 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 1,492 births (22% of all-time use).
How Marlyn 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 Marlyn's total volume
Marlyn vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Marlyn by state
Where Marlyn concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 1,115 | 16.4% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 490 | 7.2% |
| #3 | New York | | 401 | 5.9% |
| #4 | Texas | | 309 | 4.5% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 189 | 2.8% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 157 | 2.3% |
| #7 | Wisconsin | | 143 | 2.1% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 127 | 1.9% |
California share of Marlyn's total US births 16.4%
Even split
1,115 of 6,806 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 30 reporting states.
Marlyn appears in 30 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Marlyn? ▼
Marlyn has been given to 6,806 babies in the U.S. since 1915, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #6194 as of the latest data. 193 babies were born in 1936, its single highest year.
When was Marlyn most popular? ▼
Marlyn was most popular in the 1930s decade with 1,492 total births. The single peak year was 1936.
Where is Marlyn most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Marlyn are California (1,115 births), Pennsylvania (490 births), New York (401 births).
Is Marlyn a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Marlyn is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 6,806 births, and as a boy's name it has 2,306 births.
How long has the name Marlyn been used? ▼
Records for Marlyn go back to 1915, giving 111 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Marlyn? ▼
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 Marlyn's data
- Marlyn's decade-level peak was the 1930s (1,492 total births); usage has since declined to 137 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Marlyns (1,115 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 Marlyn
Nearby Names Like Marlyn
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Marlyn
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 Marlyn side by side: Marlyn vs Mary Marlyn vs Margaret Marlyn vs Maria
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Marlyn
Elspeth #6193
919 births · Peak 1984
Jaquelin #6195
3,851 births · Peak 2000
Davis #6192
1,038 births · Peak 2022
Maddalena #6196
881 births · Peak 2015
Sammy #6191
1,758 births · Peak 1936
Manuella #6197
642 births · Peak 2019
Fletcher #6190
225 births · Peak 2024
Maribeth #6198
6,098 births · Peak 1957
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, 1915–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Marlyn: #6194 Unisex Name - 6,806 Births, Peak 1936." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/marlyn. 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 Marlyn 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.