Where does the name Marlene come from?

Marlene is a girl name of Hebrew origin.

Is Marlene a boy or a girl name?

Marlene is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 130,259 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.

How popular is the name Marlene in 2023?

Marlene ranks #1354 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1936 with 5,332 babies.

How do you pronounce Marlene?

Marlene is pronounced mar-LEEN (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Marlene?

Marlene is also written as Marleen, Marlena, Marlyn.

A name from Hebrew · Girl

Marlene

A 20th-century German blend of Maria + Magdalene — both names of women in the New Testament. Marlene Dietrich, who chose it as a stage name, gave it international fame in the 1930s.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 119-year arc in numbers.

130,259 U.S. births recorded from 1904–2023.

Popularity · 1904–2023

167 births in 2023

1904 1963 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

MA 20th-century German blend of Maria + Magdalene — both names of women in the New Testament. Marlene Dietrich, who chose it as a stage name, gave it international fame in the 1930s.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Marlene".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Marleen Most common Marlena Marlyn

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Marlene.

M
Marlene Dietrich (German-American actress)
M
Marlena Evans (Days of Our Lives)

Quick answers

People often ask about Marlene.

What does the name Marlene mean?: Marlene means a 20th-century German blend of Maria + Magdalene — both names of women in the New Testament. Marlene Dietrich, who chose it as a stage name, gave it international fame in the 1930s.
Where does the name Marlene come from?: Marlene is a girl name of Hebrew origin.
Is Marlene a boy or a girl name?: Marlene is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 130,259 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.
How popular is the name Marlene in 2023?: Marlene ranks #1354 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1936 with 5,332 babies.
How do you pronounce Marlene?: Marlene is pronounced mar-LEEN (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Marlene?: Marlene is also written as Marleen, Marlena, Marlyn.

Similar names

If you love Marlene, also consider…

James

Boy ·Hebrew

Supplanter; one who follows

Michael

#16

Boy ·Hebrew

Who is like God? A rhetorical name honoring the archangel

Mary

#133

Girl ·Hebrew

Bitter; beloved; wished-for child

God is my oath; consecrated to God

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.