Marilyn
Meaning & Origin
Meaning: Sea; Bitterness
Background: The name Marilyn originates from the combination of the name Mary and the diminutive suffix '-lyn'. Mary is derived from the Hebrew name Miriam, which is often interpreted as 'sea' or 'bitterness', while the suffix '-lyn' traces back to Old French origins as a diminutive form.
At a glance
Quick stats based on the history of this name.
Lifetime rank
#97
Total births
374,490
Most popular decade
1940s
(297,678 births)
10-year trend
↓ Falling (-262 ranks)
Years in Top 100
34
First recorded year
1899
Gender usage
0.3% male
99.7% female
Stats by gender
Male
- First year
- 1922
- First year births
- 5
- First year rank
- #4,307
- Peak year
- 1937
- Peak year births
- 45
- Peak rank
- #932
- Most recent year
- 1997
- Recent year births
- 6
- Recent rank
- #8,110
Female
- First year
- 1899
- First year births
- 5
- First year rank
- #1,596
- Peak year
- 1947
- Peak year births
- 11,881
- Peak rank
- #29
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 432
- Recent rank
- #666
Births over time
Number of babies given this name each year.
Rank over time
Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).