Marlon
Boy name · #1102 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Marlon? In official American birth records, Marlon has been tracked continuously since 1914, giving it 111 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Marlon against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Marlon in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Marlon is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". 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. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Marlon is most common in NJ (0.3 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.2 per 1,000), CA (0.2 per 1,000), NY (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Marlon is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
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
How old is the name Marlon?
In official American birth records, the name Marlon first appeared in 1914 (over 111 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 111 years.
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. 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.