Marlin
Boy name · #1779 in 2025 · Very rare
Marlin is currently the #1779 boy name in the United States — 90 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1815, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 20,000 boys born in 2025 was named Marlin.
The 141-year story
Marlin first appears in the Social Security records in 1884, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1935, when 386 boys were named Marlin — good for #276 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Marlin per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Marlin against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Marlin in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Marlin is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Marlin will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Marlin is most common
State-level data for Marlin is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Marlin
Statistically, parents drawn to Marlin tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Merlin, Arlin, Melvin, Myron, and Mervin.
MerlinArlinMelvinMyronMervinMarvinAltonErvin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Marlin | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 90 | #1778 |
| 2024 | 83 | #1902 |
| 2023 | 85 | #1868 |
| 2022 | 78 | #1965 |
| 2021 | 73 | #2026 |
| 2020 | 68 | #2069 |
| 2019 | 74 | #1974 |
| 2018 | 86 | #1777 |
| 2017 | 79 | #1861 |
| 2016 | 70 | #2028 |
| 2015 | 82 | #1815 |
| 2014 | 81 | #1828 |
| 2013 | 71 | #1942 |
| 2012 | 86 | #1742 |
| 2011 | 81 | #1780 |
| 2010 | 69 | #1986 |
| 2009 | 67 | #2050 |
| 2008 | 78 | #1861 |
| 2007 | 94 | #1638 |
| 2006 | 96 | #1543 |
| 2005 | 100 | #1460 |
| 2004 | 85 | #1555 |
| 2003 | 93 | #1420 |
| 2002 | 80 | #1543 |
| 2001 | 97 | #1337 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Marlin a popular boy name?
Marlin ranked #1779 among boys in 2025 with 90 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1815.
When was the name Marlin most popular?
Marlin peaked in 1935, when 386 American boys received the name (ranked #276 that year). Since 1935 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Marlin?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 20,000 newborn American boys was named Marlin. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very 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.