Marlon
Boy name · #1102 in 2025 · Uniqueness 67/100
Marlon ranks #1102 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 195 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #817, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,231 boys born in 2025 was named Marlon.
The 111-year story
Marlon first appears in the Social Security records in 1914, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1972, when 1,028 boys were named Marlon — good for #217 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 Marlon per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Marlon against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Marlon in class?
Marlon scores 67 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 Marlon will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Marlon is most common
Geography matters for names, and Marlon is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Marlons were TX (30), CA (29), FL (20), NJ (13), NY (11). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Marlon
Statistically, parents drawn to Marlon tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dion, Byron, Nelson, Theron, and Kelvin.
DionByronNelsonTheronKelvinDamonRamonClifton
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Marlon | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 195 | #1097 |
| 2024 | 201 | #1082 |
| 2023 | 240 | #940 |
| 2022 | 226 | #992 |
| 2021 | 213 | #1030 |
| 2020 | 217 | #982 |
| 2019 | 260 | #855 |
| 2018 | 262 | #846 |
| 2017 | 291 | #792 |
| 2016 | 284 | #809 |
| 2015 | 277 | #817 |
| 2014 | 319 | #743 |
| 2013 | 327 | #717 |
| 2012 | 340 | #695 |
| 2011 | 367 | #638 |
| 2010 | 411 | #606 |
| 2009 | 382 | #649 |
| 2008 | 455 | #568 |
| 2007 | 467 | #551 |
| 2006 | 509 | #509 |
| 2005 | 479 | #514 |
| 2004 | 460 | #521 |
| 2003 | 462 | #519 |
| 2002 | 447 | #510 |
| 2001 | 454 | #501 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Marlon a popular boy name?
Marlon ranked #1102 among boys in 2025 with 195 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #817.
When was the name Marlon most popular?
Marlon peaked in 1972, when 1,028 American boys received the name (ranked #217 that year). Since 1972 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Marlon?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,231 newborn American boys was named Marlon. It scores 67/100 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.