Mariel
Girl name · #894 in 2025 · Distinctive
Mariel is currently the #894 girl name in the United States — 298 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1839, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,040 girls born in 2025 was named Mariel.
The 111-year story
Mariel first appears in the Social Security records in 1914, when 6 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 298 babies and a rank of #893. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Mariel per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Mariel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Mariel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Mariel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Mariel is most common
Geography matters for names, and Mariel is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Mariel is most common in AZ (0.9 per 1,000), TX (0.6 per 1,000), CA (0.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Mariel is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Mariel
Statistically, parents drawn to Mariel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rochel, Xochitl, Laken, Malka, and Eleni.
RochelXochitlLakenMalkaEleniYaelLuisaEmerald
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Mariel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 298 | #893 |
| 2024 | 242 | #1039 |
| 2023 | 183 | #1255 |
| 2022 | 94 | #2048 |
| 2021 | 80 | #2286 |
| 2020 | 96 | #1965 |
| 2019 | 79 | #2285 |
| 2018 | 96 | #2026 |
| 2017 | 125 | #1703 |
| 2016 | 113 | #1828 |
| 2015 | 112 | #1839 |
| 2014 | 88 | #2154 |
| 2013 | 95 | #2032 |
| 2012 | 75 | #2449 |
| 2011 | 85 | #2216 |
| 2010 | 109 | #1860 |
| 2009 | 118 | #1822 |
| 2008 | 121 | #1800 |
| 2007 | 123 | #1752 |
| 2006 | 124 | #1691 |
| 2005 | 118 | #1681 |
| 2004 | 117 | #1654 |
| 2003 | 123 | #1561 |
| 2002 | 133 | #1432 |
| 2001 | 115 | #1600 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Mariel a popular girl name?
Mariel ranked #894 among girls in 2025 with 298 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1839.
When was the name Mariel most popular?
Mariel peaked in 2025, when 298 American girls received the name (ranked #893 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Mariel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,040 newborn American girls was named Mariel. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.