Marlei
Girl name · #4244 in 2025 · Uniqueness 92/100
In 2025, 34 baby girls were named Marlei, placing it at #4244 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3024, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 52,941 girls born in 2025 was named Marlei.
The 23-year story
Marlei first appears in the Social Security records in 2002, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2020, when 70 girls were named Marlei — good for #2468 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Marlei per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Marlei against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Marlei in class?
Marlei scores 92 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Marlei will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Marlei is most common
State-level data for Marlei is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Marlei
Statistically, parents drawn to Marlei tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Harlei, Rylei, Mahari, Milli, and Merci.
HarleiRyleiMahariMilliMerciMaloniMishkaMaesyn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Marlei | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34 | #4172 |
| 2024 | 26 | #5021 |
| 2023 | 47 | #3386 |
| 2022 | 60 | #2821 |
| 2021 | 62 | #2751 |
| 2020 | 70 | #2468 |
| 2019 | 61 | #2752 |
| 2018 | 53 | #3050 |
| 2017 | 55 | #2964 |
| 2016 | 54 | #3060 |
| 2015 | 56 | #3024 |
| 2014 | 39 | #3848 |
| 2013 | 26 | #5143 |
| 2012 | 25 | #5398 |
| 2011 | 21 | #6148 |
| 2010 | 26 | #5247 |
| 2009 | 28 | #5097 |
| 2008 | 18 | #7073 |
| 2007 | 11 | #10129 |
| 2006 | 5 | #17168 |
| 2002 | 7 | #12187 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Marlei a popular girl name?
Marlei ranked #4244 among girls in 2025 with 34 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3024.
When was the name Marlei most popular?
Marlei peaked in 2020, when 70 American girls received the name (ranked #2468 that year). Since 2020 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Marlei?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 52,941 newborn American girls was named Marlei. It scores 92/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
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.