Marlen
Girl name · #3596 in 2025 · Uniqueness 83/100
Marlen is currently the #3596 girl name in the United States — 42 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2810, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 42,857 girls born in 2025 was named Marlen.
Babies named Marlen per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 93-year story
Marlen first appears in the Social Security records in 1932, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2007, when 263 girls were named Marlen — good for #1003 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Marlen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Marlen in class?
Marlen scores 83 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 Marlen will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Marlen is most common
State-level data for Marlen 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 Marlen
Statistically, parents drawn to Marlen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kaylen, Jaylen, Rayven, Mayson, and Kiersten.
KaylenJaylenRayvenMaysonKierstenMasonKarsenJasmyn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Marlen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 42 | #3577 |
| 2024 | 44 | #3516 |
| 2023 | 44 | #3525 |
| 2022 | 47 | #3365 |
| 2021 | 52 | #3112 |
| 2020 | 56 | #2890 |
| 2019 | 53 | #3043 |
| 2018 | 55 | #2962 |
| 2017 | 55 | #2964 |
| 2016 | 63 | #2739 |
| 2015 | 62 | #2810 |
| 2014 | 58 | #2922 |
| 2013 | 80 | #2305 |
| 2012 | 93 | #2064 |
| 2011 | 116 | #1758 |
| 2010 | 138 | #1584 |
| 2009 | 170 | #1392 |
| 2008 | 213 | #1193 |
| 2007 | 263 | #1003 |
| 2006 | 224 | #1119 |
| 2005 | 230 | #1041 |
| 2004 | 216 | #1067 |
| 2003 | 259 | #918 |
| 2002 | 200 | #1063 |
| 2001 | 184 | #1136 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Marlen a popular girl name?
Marlen ranked #3596 among girls in 2025 with 42 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2810.
When was the name Marlen most popular?
Marlen peaked in 2007, when 263 American girls received the name (ranked #1003 that year). Since 2007 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Marlen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 42,857 newborn American girls was named Marlen. It scores 83/100 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.