Marlyn is a unisex name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Marlyn means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Marlyn across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Marlyn has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Marlyn is a unisex name of Hebrew origin meaning “star of the sea”. A variant of Marilyn, blending Mary and Lyn.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 9,112 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 23 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 8 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Marlyn per year, United States (1913 to 2025). United States peaked in 1935 (278/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (8/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1975 (5/yr).
Marlyn has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1935, when it ranked #695 nationally (given to 278 babies that year).
Marilyn · Marlene · Marlon · Marlin · Merlin · Marilynn · Marylyn · Marlena
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