Marian
Girl name · #1102 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Marian? In official American birth records, Marian has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Marian ranks #1102 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 217 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1095, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 8,295 girls born in 2025 was named Marian.
The 145-year story
Marian first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 56 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 4,197 girls were named Marian — good for #64 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 Marian per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Marian against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Marian in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Marian is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Marian will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Marian is most common
Geography matters for names, and Marian is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Marian is most common in TX (0.2 per 1,000), PA (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Marian is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Marian
Statistically, parents drawn to Marian tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Marion, Marcella, Marjorie, Mattie, and Carmela.
MarionMarcellaMarjorieMattieCarmelaGenevaMarleneMarilyn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Marian | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 217 | #1102 |
| 2024 | 209 | #1152 |
| 2023 | 210 | #1154 |
| 2022 | 214 | #1138 |
| 2021 | 173 | #1304 |
| 2020 | 164 | #1343 |
| 2019 | 190 | #1233 |
| 2018 | 197 | #1204 |
| 2017 | 190 | #1248 |
| 2016 | 203 | #1214 |
| 2015 | 236 | #1095 |
| 2014 | 191 | #1261 |
| 2013 | 172 | #1351 |
| 2012 | 185 | #1288 |
| 2011 | 151 | #1480 |
| 2010 | 210 | #1156 |
| 2009 | 169 | #1398 |
| 2008 | 194 | #1281 |
| 2007 | 182 | #1332 |
| 2006 | 202 | #1197 |
| 2005 | 204 | #1143 |
| 2004 | 208 | #1099 |
| 2003 | 191 | #1138 |
| 2002 | 198 | #1073 |
| 2001 | 207 | #1037 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Marian?
In official American birth records, the name Marian first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 56 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Marian a popular girl name?
Marian ranked #1102 among girls in 2025 with 217 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1095.
When was the name Marian most popular?
Marian peaked in 1924, when 4,197 American girls received the name (ranked #64 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Marian?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 8,295 newborn American girls was named Marian. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.