Marilyn

#760 for girls in 2025, 356 births · Last seen for boys in 1997 at #8,110
Given to girls 99.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1936 · 11,064 births
Debut · girls
5 births
In top 100 · girls
34 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
373,791
since 1899

Marilyn over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201938peak #13, 1936girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#760356—
2024#665436—
2023#743378—
2022#697423—
2021#704409—
2020#634457—
2019#634467—
2018#606498—
2017#529585—
2016#490634—
2015#426748—
2014#404798—
2013#373837—
2012#421744—
2011#544535—
2010#547536—
2009#580524—
2008#565545—
2007#522599—
2006#508598—
2005#558513—
2004#573499—
2003#544514—
2002#543507—
2001#496553—
2000#508524—
1999#527481—
1998#490518—
1997#447567#8,1106
1996#416611—
1995#445576#8,8685
1994#459552—
1993#415599#8,7005
1992#378680—
1991#434584—
1990#432582—
1989#393628#5,6158
1988#424547#7,2705
1987#418532—
1986#441488#6,7215
1985#421522#5,7856
1984#418509#4,5528
1983#368612—
1982#399582—
1981#390579—
1980#393579—
1979#389559#4,0689
1978#341634#5,0596
1977#360608—
1976#341648—
1975#339651#4,7976
1974#315725#4,6346
1973#300777#2,85712
1972#294856#3,15210
1971#2391,216#3,9637
1970#2481,256#4,2306
1969#2181,398#3,0629
1968#1981,577#3,3657
1967#1671,960#2,47011
1966#1701,994#3,5376
1965#1512,490#2,27013
1964#1462,793#3,2827
1963#1253,314#2,41412
1962#1273,608#2,27913
1961#1223,797#2,07016
1960#1174,071#2,8719
1959#1094,343#2,20014
1958#964,948#2,09315
1957#825,743#2,8229
1956#706,926#1,56825
1955#498,409#1,79119
1954#3510,814#1,95616
1953#3610,742#1,63022
1952#389,803#2,25112
1951#419,148#1,68320
1950#379,285#1,94115
1949#339,865#2,02214
1948#339,937#1,88116
1947#2911,881#1,51924
1946#2910,711#1,55721
1945#279,534#1,63317
1944#279,738#1,43822
1943#2710,145#1,25830
1942#279,906#1,22832
1941#308,556#1,16932
1940#258,704#1,00741
1939#199,538#1,14132
1938#199,745#1,07636
1937#139,739#93245
1936#1311,064#1,02838
1935#1410,418#1,14833
1934#179,382#1,05938
1933#169,126#1,36124
1932#1610,567#1,09038
1931#199,664#1,23931
1930#229,288#1,33029
1929#336,731#1,23732
1928#386,066#1,70720
1927#465,554#1,69221
1926#654,370#2,72510
1925#833,419—
1924#1012,860#4,3475
1923#1182,286—
1922#1451,698#4,3075
1921#253696—
1920#288522—
1919#313404—
1918#421245—
1917#520164—
1916#552146—
1915#629109—
1914#67175—
1913#67858—
1912#66856—
1911#77731—
1910#1,03018—
1909#89021—
1908#76825—
1907#92317—
1906#74224—
1905#1,23810—
1904#1,6596—
1903#1,07611—
1902——
1901#1,4666—
1900#1,10612—
1899#1,5965—
1898——
1897——
1896——
1895——
1894——
1893——
1892——
1891——
1890——
1889——
1888——
1887——
1886——
1885——
1884——
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1881——
1880——
First appearance
1899

The first year at least five girls were named Marilyn! It came in at #1,596, and was given to 5 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1902, when fewer than 5 girls a year got the name.

Where Marilyn is popular in 1938

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Marilyn, so not publishedAKMaine: #14 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 71 girlsMEVermont: #24 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 91 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #47 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 140 girlsNHWashington: #9 for girls · 191 births · 1 in 57 girlsWAIdaho: #10 for girls · 70 births · 1 in 60 girlsIDMontana: #18 for girls · 49 births · 1 in 80 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #18 for girls · 66 births · 1 in 80 girlsNDMinnesota: #12 for girls · 345 births · 1 in 61 girlsMNIllinois: #10 for girls · 917 births · 1 in 60 girlsILWisconsin: #17 for girls · 329 births · 1 in 73 girlsWIMichigan: #13 for girls · 677 births · 1 in 62 girlsMINew York: #12 for girls · 1,026 births · 1 in 83 girlsNYMassachusetts: #15 for girls · 369 births · 1 in 76 girlsMARhode Island: #19 for girls · 51 births · 1 in 84 girlsRIOregon: #18 for girls · 87 births · 1 in 72 girlsORNevada: #8 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 31 girlsNVWyoming: #9 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 44 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #9 for girls · 95 births · 1 in 48 girlsSDIowa: #9 for girls · 419 births · 1 in 45 girlsIAIndiana: #13 for girls · 493 births · 1 in 53 girlsINOhio: #11 for girls · 795 births · 1 in 64 girlsOHPennsylvania: #35 for girls · 532 births · 1 in 140 girlsPANew Jersey: #23 for girls · 243 births · 1 in 102 girlsNJConnecticut: #18 for girls · 121 births · 1 in 82 girlsCTCalifornia: #10 for girls · 600 births · 1 in 74 girlsCAUtah: #7 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 54 girlsUTColorado: #15 for girls · 96 births · 1 in 93 girlsCONebraska: #7 for girls · 197 births · 1 in 46 girlsNEMissouri: #16 for girls · 311 births · 1 in 86 girlsMOKentucky: #66 for girls · 92 births · 1 in 307 girlsKYWest Virginia: #82 for girls · 54 births · 1 in 353 girlsWVVirginia: #185 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 1,036 girlsVAMaryland: #91 for girls · 33 births · 1 in 377 girlsMDDelaware: #87 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 303 girlsDEArizona: #38 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 188 girlsAZNew Mexico: #102 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 347 girlsNMKansas: #8 for girls · 226 births · 1 in 54 girlsKSArkansas: #36 for girls · 100 births · 1 in 187 girlsARTennessee: #83 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 377 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #154 for girls · 50 births · 1 in 739 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #164 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 707 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #93 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 357 girlsDCOklahoma: #29 for girls · 141 births · 1 in 144 girlsOKLouisiana: #75 for girls · 73 births · 1 in 304 girlsLAMississippi: #159 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 663 girlsMSAlabama: #125 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 514 girlsALGeorgia: #102 for girls · 75 births · 1 in 411 girlsGAHawaii: #66 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 216 girlsHITexas: #51 for girls · 206 births · 1 in 280 girlsTXFlorida: #61 for girls · 51 births · 1 in 266 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Nebraska#7 · 1 in 46
  2. Utah#7 · 1 in 54
  3. Nevada#8 · 1 in 31
  4. Kansas#8 · 1 in 54
  5. Wyoming#9 · 1 in 44

Best ever in a state: #3 in Utah, 1932.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Nebraska#71971 in 46
Utah#7881 in 54
Kansas#82261 in 54
Nevada#8131 in 31
Iowa#94191 in 45
South Dakota#9951 in 48
Washington#91911 in 57
Wyoming#9361 in 44
California#106001 in 74
Idaho#10701 in 60
Illinois#109171 in 60
Ohio#117951 in 64
Minnesota#123451 in 61
New York#121,0261 in 83
Indiana#134931 in 53
Michigan#136771 in 62
Maine#14881 in 71
Colorado#15961 in 93
Massachusetts#153691 in 76
Missouri#163111 in 86
Wisconsin#173291 in 73
Connecticut#181211 in 82
Montana#18491 in 80
North Dakota#18661 in 80
Oregon#18871 in 72
Rhode Island#19511 in 84
New Jersey#232431 in 102
Vermont#24261 in 91
Oklahoma#291411 in 144
Pennsylvania#355321 in 140
Arkansas#361001 in 187
Arizona#38251 in 188
New Hampshire#47221 in 140
Texas#512061 in 280
Florida#61511 in 266
Hawaii#66141 in 216
Kentucky#66921 in 307
Louisiana#75731 in 304
West Virginia#82541 in 353
Tennessee#83721 in 377
Delaware#8751 in 303
Maryland#91331 in 377
District of Columbia#93141 in 357
Georgia#102751 in 411
New Mexico#102161 in 347
Alabama#125571 in 514
North Carolina#154501 in 739
Mississippi#159341 in 663
South Carolina#164291 in 707
Virginia#185231 in 1,036
Alaska———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Marilyn
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 95 spots since 2024 (#665 → #760)
  • 126 spots since 2020 (#634 → #760)
  • 334 spots since 2015 (#426 → #760)
  • Biggest jump: 496 spots in 1906 (#1,238 → #742)
  • Biggest drop: 181 spots in 1907 (#742 → #923)
Rise & fade · girls
37 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1899
  • Peaked 1936 at #13 (11,064 births)
  • Births halved by 1958, 22 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 34 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 34 yrs · run 1925–1958
  • Top 1,000: 119 yrs · run 1911–2025
Share of babies · girls
1 in 94
  • Highest: 1 in 94 girls born in 1936 were named Marilyn (1.1%)
  • Latest: 1 in 4,515 girls born in 2025 (0.02%)
Era · girls
The 1940s
  • 26.5% of all girls named Marilyn (98,977) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1890s5#1,596 (1899)#1,596
1900s132#742 (1906)#1,096
1910s1,306#313 (1919)#626
1920s34,202#33 (1929)#117
1930s98,531#13 (1936)#17
1940s98,977#25 (1940)#29
1950s80,161#35 (1954)#59
1960s27,002#117 (1960)#154
1970s7,930#239 (1971)#317
1980s5,578#368 (1983)#407
1990s5,750#378 (1992)#444
2000s5,376#496 (2001)#540
2010s6,382#373 (2013)#497
2020s2,459#634 (2020)#701

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Marilyn in 1938

girls
#19
9,745 births · 1 in 113 girls
boys
#1,076
36 births · 1 in 30,810 boys

Top girls' names in 1938

  1. #1Mary56,225
  2. #2Barbara39,277
  3. #3Patricia27,560
  4. #4Betty25,506
  5. #5Shirley23,766
  6. #6Carol19,421
  7. #7Nancy18,951
  8. #8Dorothy16,358
  9. #9Margaret15,330
  10. #10Joan14,303
  11. #19Marilyn9,745

Top boys' names in 1938

  1. #1Robert62,271
  2. #2James59,102
  3. #3John50,517
  4. #4William42,433
  5. #5Richard34,385
  6. #6Charles31,151
  7. #7Donald26,677
  8. #8David22,994
  9. #9Thomas21,381
  10. #10Ronald20,295
  11. #1,076Marilyn36
More about 1938

girls

1,103,456 girls got a published name in 1938; 1 in 113 of them was named Marilyn, which outranked 99.6% of the 4,995 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Marilyn
  1. #16Janet9,870
  2. #17Elizabeth9,803
  3. #18Beverly9,770
  4. #19Marilyn9,745
  5. #20Donna9,693
  6. #21Ruth9,303
  7. #22Virginia9,269
Biggest movers since 1937
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,209Danielle#2,940 → #731
  2. ↑ 833Lorelei#1,451 → #618
  3. ↑ 623Helaine#1,493 → #870
  4. ↑ 399Janine#1,330 → #931
  5. ↑ 392Imelda#1,282 → #890
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,261Noreta#964 → #2,225
  2. ↓ 513Norita#532 → #1,045
  3. ↓ 432Noretta#856 → #1,288
  4. ↓ 366Ferne#950 → #1,316
  5. ↓ 327Verdell#904 → #1,231

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,109,147 boys got a published name in 1938; 1 in 30,810 of them was named Marilyn, which outranked 73.3% of the 4,035 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Marilyn
  1. #1,062Quincy37
  2. #1,062Rose37
  3. #1,062Thornton37
  4. #1,076Marilyn36
  5. #1,076Baxter36
  6. #1,076Curley36
  7. #1,076Delma36
  8. #1,095Adan35
  9. #1,095Casper35
  10. #1,095Cedric35

Tied with 18 names at #1,076; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1937
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,314Dion#2,197 → #883
  2. ↑ 448Tex#1,212 → #764
  3. ↑ 425Lonny#1,233 → #808
  4. ↑ 401Gonzalo#1,180 → #779
  5. ↑ 383Lance#722 → #339
Fallers
  1. ↓ 741Worth#1,000 → #1,741
  2. ↓ 528Estel#869 → #1,397
  3. ↓ 492Milburn#845 → #1,337
  4. ↓ 412Lonzo#835 → #1,247
  5. ↓ 405Joy#932 → #1,337

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1938 →