Where does the name Marilyn come from?

Marilyn is a girl name of English origin.

Is Marilyn a boy or a girl name?

Marilyn is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Marilyn are girls and 0% are boys.

How popular is the name Marilyn in 2023?

Marilyn ranks #744 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 11,905 babies.

How do you pronounce Marilyn?

Marilyn is pronounced MA-ri-lin (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Marilyn?

Marilyn is also written as Marylyn, Marilynn, Maralyn.

A name from English · Girl

Marilyn

A 20th-century English blend of Mary (Hebrew Miriam) and the diminutive suffix -lyn. Forever bound to Marilyn Monroe, whose stage name was an invention.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 124-year arc in numbers.

372,999 U.S. births recorded from 1899–2023.

Popularity · 1899–2023

378 births in 2023

1899 1961 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

MA 20th-century English blend of Mary (Hebrew Miriam) and the diminutive suffix -lyn. Forever bound to Marilyn Monroe, whose stage name was an invention.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Marilyn".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Marylyn Most common Marilynn Maralyn

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Marilyn.

M
Marilyn Monroe (actress)
M
Marilynne Robinson (Pulitzer-winning novelist)
M
Marilyn vos Savant (writer)

Quick answers

People often ask about Marilyn.

What does the name Marilyn mean?: Marilyn means a 20th-century English blend of Mary (Hebrew Miriam) and the diminutive suffix -lyn. Forever bound to Marilyn Monroe, whose stage name was an invention.
Where does the name Marilyn come from?: Marilyn is a girl name of English origin.
Is Marilyn a boy or a girl name?: Marilyn is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Marilyn are girls and 0% are boys.
How popular is the name Marilyn in 2023?: Marilyn ranks #744 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 11,905 babies.
How do you pronounce Marilyn?: Marilyn is pronounced MA-ri-lin (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Marilyn?: Marilyn is also written as Marylyn, Marilynn, Maralyn.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.