Marley
Girl name · #322 in 2025 · Uniqueness 61/100
Marley ranks #322 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 950 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #218, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,895 girls born in 2025 was named Marley.
The 88-year story
Marley first appears in the Social Security records in 1937, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2008, when 2,359 girls were named Marley — good for #145 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 Marley per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Marley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Marley in class?
Marley scores 61 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Marley is most common
Geography matters for names, and Marley is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Marleys were CA (73), TX (63), FL (52), GA (49), NY (42). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Marley
Statistically, parents drawn to Marley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Miley, Presley, Ainsley, Mckinley, and Finley.
MileyPresleyAinsleyMckinleyFinleyHarleyKinleyCharley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Marley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 950 | #322 |
| 2024 | 1,108 | #285 |
| 2023 | 1,108 | #284 |
| 2022 | 1,139 | #276 |
| 2021 | 1,379 | #215 |
| 2020 | 1,369 | #211 |
| 2019 | 1,336 | #233 |
| 2018 | 1,418 | #222 |
| 2017 | 1,475 | #209 |
| 2016 | 1,500 | #215 |
| 2015 | 1,499 | #218 |
| 2014 | 1,650 | #203 |
| 2013 | 1,533 | #209 |
| 2012 | 1,242 | #260 |
| 2011 | 1,237 | #259 |
| 2010 | 1,345 | #234 |
| 2009 | 2,171 | #149 |
| 2008 | 2,359 | #145 |
| 2007 | 839 | #390 |
| 2006 | 766 | #416 |
| 2005 | 651 | #472 |
| 2004 | 556 | #515 |
| 2003 | 486 | #574 |
| 2002 | 404 | #630 |
| 2001 | 423 | #596 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Marley a popular girl name?
Marley ranked #322 among girls in 2025 with 950 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #218.
When was the name Marley most popular?
Marley peaked in 2008, when 2,359 American girls received the name (ranked #145 that year). Since 2008 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Marley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,895 newborn American girls was named Marley. It scores 61/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify 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.