Marla
Girl name · #2055 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Marla? In official American birth records, Marla has been tracked continuously since 1912, giving it 113 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 92 baby girls were named Marla, placing it at #2055 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2646, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 19,565 girls born in 2025 was named Marla.
Babies named Marla per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 113-year story
Marla first appears in the Social Security records in 1912, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1955, when 1,725 girls were named Marla — good for #193 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Marla against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Marla in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Marla is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Marla will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Marla is most common
State-level data for Marla 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 Marla
Statistically, parents drawn to Marla tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Carla, Darla, Marta, Pamela, and Mona.
CarlaDarlaMartaPamelaMonaTwilaSheilaMarcia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Marla | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 92 | #2051 |
| 2024 | 79 | #2327 |
| 2023 | 88 | #2156 |
| 2022 | 80 | #2319 |
| 2021 | 75 | #2384 |
| 2020 | 68 | #2523 |
| 2019 | 77 | #2331 |
| 2018 | 63 | #2711 |
| 2017 | 71 | #2508 |
| 2016 | 69 | #2560 |
| 2015 | 67 | #2646 |
| 2014 | 86 | #2194 |
| 2013 | 53 | #3076 |
| 2012 | 71 | #2548 |
| 2011 | 68 | #2614 |
| 2010 | 85 | #2258 |
| 2009 | 67 | #2705 |
| 2008 | 68 | #2690 |
| 2007 | 97 | #2085 |
| 2006 | 73 | #2512 |
| 2005 | 89 | #2088 |
| 2004 | 97 | #1925 |
| 2003 | 86 | #2062 |
| 2002 | 102 | #1771 |
| 2001 | 112 | #1627 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Marla?
In official American birth records, the name Marla first appeared in 1912 (over 113 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 113 years.
Is Marla a popular girl name?
Marla ranked #2055 among girls in 2025 with 92 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2646.
When was the name Marla most popular?
Marla peaked in 1955, when 1,725 American girls received the name (ranked #193 that year). Since 1955 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Marla?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 19,565 newborn American girls was named Marla. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.