Marlen
Girl name · #3596 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Marlen? In official American birth records, Marlen has been tracked continuously since 1932, giving it 93 years of documented American history.
Marlen is currently the #3596 girl name in the United States — 42 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2810, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 42,857 girls born in 2025 was named Marlen.
Babies named Marlen per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 93-year story
Marlen first appears in the Social Security records in 1932, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2007, when 263 girls were named Marlen — good for #1003 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Marlen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Marlen in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Marlen is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Marlen will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Marlen is most common
State-level data for Marlen 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 Marlen
Statistically, parents drawn to Marlen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kaylen, Jaylen, Rayven, Mayson, and Kiersten.
KaylenJaylenRayvenMaysonKierstenMasonKarsenJasmyn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Marlen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 42 | #3577 |
| 2024 | 44 | #3516 |
| 2023 | 44 | #3525 |
| 2022 | 47 | #3365 |
| 2021 | 52 | #3112 |
| 2020 | 56 | #2890 |
| 2019 | 53 | #3043 |
| 2018 | 55 | #2962 |
| 2017 | 55 | #2964 |
| 2016 | 63 | #2739 |
| 2015 | 62 | #2810 |
| 2014 | 58 | #2922 |
| 2013 | 80 | #2305 |
| 2012 | 93 | #2064 |
| 2011 | 116 | #1758 |
| 2010 | 138 | #1584 |
| 2009 | 170 | #1392 |
| 2008 | 213 | #1193 |
| 2007 | 263 | #1003 |
| 2006 | 224 | #1119 |
| 2005 | 230 | #1041 |
| 2004 | 216 | #1067 |
| 2003 | 259 | #918 |
| 2002 | 200 | #1063 |
| 2001 | 184 | #1136 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Marlen?
In official American birth records, the name Marlen first appeared in 1932 (over 93 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 93 years.
Is Marlen a popular girl name?
Marlen ranked #3596 among girls in 2025 with 42 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2810.
When was the name Marlen most popular?
Marlen peaked in 2007, when 263 American girls received the name (ranked #1003 that year). Since 2007 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Marlen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 42,857 newborn American girls was named Marlen. 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.