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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201961peak #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 1961

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #96 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 299 girlsAKMaine: #158 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 718 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Marilyn, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: #147 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 703 girlsNHWashington: #187 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 869 girlsWAIdaho: #117 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 422 girlsIDMontana: #64 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 224 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #94 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 343 girlsNDMinnesota: #162 for girls · 49 births · 1 in 789 girlsMNIllinois: #115 for girls · 215 births · 1 in 496 girlsILWisconsin: #134 for girls · 70 births · 1 in 631 girlsWIMichigan: #125 for girls · 159 births · 1 in 546 girlsMINew York: #111 for girls · 339 births · 1 in 495 girlsNYMassachusetts: #127 for girls · 81 births · 1 in 667 girlsMARhode Island: #106 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 515 girlsRIOregon: #129 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 519 girlsORNevada: #111 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 368 girlsNVWyoming: #146 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 488 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #117 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 442 girlsSDIowa: #137 for girls · 48 births · 1 in 590 girlsIAIndiana: #97 for girls · 123 births · 1 in 406 girlsINOhio: #111 for girls · 221 births · 1 in 472 girlsOHPennsylvania: #154 for girls · 143 births · 1 in 777 girlsPANew Jersey: #120 for girls · 111 births · 1 in 529 girlsNJConnecticut: #143 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 722 girlsCTCalifornia: #151 for girls · 271 births · 1 in 646 girlsCAUtah: #96 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 365 girlsUTColorado: #167 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 685 girlsCONebraska: #160 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 739 girlsNEMissouri: #92 for girls · 118 births · 1 in 375 girlsMOKentucky: #118 for girls · 61 births · 1 in 523 girlsKYWest Virginia: #129 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 561 girlsWVVirginia: #160 for girls · 49 births · 1 in 820 girlsVAMaryland: #163 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 820 girlsMDDelaware: #173 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 766 girlsDEArizona: #118 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 439 girlsAZNew Mexico: #126 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 427 girlsNMKansas: #82 for girls · 61 births · 1 in 333 girlsKSArkansas: #49 for girls · 92 births · 1 in 190 girlsARTennessee: #80 for girls · 103 births · 1 in 352 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #109 for girls · 96 births · 1 in 508 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #70 for girls · 86 births · 1 in 302 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #233 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 1,322 girlsDCOklahoma: #105 for girls · 52 births · 1 in 401 girlsOKLouisiana: #90 for girls · 109 births · 1 in 349 girlsLAMississippi: #69 for girls · 87 births · 1 in 285 girlsMSAlabama: #71 for girls · 121 births · 1 in 284 girlsALGeorgia: #99 for girls · 110 births · 1 in 405 girlsGAHawaii: #121 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 436 girlsHITexas: #105 for girls · 247 births · 1 in 452 girlsTXFlorida: #121 for girls · 99 births · 1 in 506 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Arkansas#49 · 1 in 190
  2. Montana#64 · 1 in 224
  3. Mississippi#69 · 1 in 285
  4. South Carolina#70 · 1 in 302
  5. Alabama#71 · 1 in 284

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Arkansas#49921 in 190
Montana#64291 in 224
Mississippi#69871 in 285
South Carolina#70861 in 302
Alabama#711211 in 284
Tennessee#801031 in 352
Kansas#82611 in 333
Louisiana#901091 in 349
Missouri#921181 in 375
North Dakota#94191 in 343
Alaska#9691 in 299
Utah#96291 in 365
Indiana#971231 in 406
Georgia#991101 in 405
Oklahoma#105521 in 401
Texas#1052471 in 452
Rhode Island#106161 in 515
North Carolina#109961 in 508
Nevada#11171 in 368
New York#1113391 in 495
Ohio#1112211 in 472
Illinois#1152151 in 496
Idaho#117151 in 422
South Dakota#117161 in 442
Arizona#118351 in 439
Kentucky#118611 in 523
New Jersey#1201111 in 529
Florida#121991 in 506
Hawaii#121141 in 436
Michigan#1251591 in 546
New Mexico#126281 in 427
Massachusetts#127811 in 667
Oregon#129301 in 519
West Virginia#129301 in 561
Wisconsin#134701 in 631
Iowa#137481 in 590
Connecticut#143341 in 722
Wyoming#14661 in 488
New Hampshire#14781 in 703
California#1512711 in 646
Pennsylvania#1541431 in 777
Maine#158141 in 718
Nebraska#160201 in 739
Virginia#160491 in 820
Minnesota#162491 in 789
Maryland#163371 in 820
Colorado#167291 in 685
Delaware#17361 in 766
Washington#187321 in 869
District of Columbia#233101 in 1,322
Vermont———

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 1961

girls
#122
3,797 births · 1 in 532 girls
boys
#2,070
16 births · 1 in 132,762 boys

Top girls' names in 1961

  1. #1Mary47,682
  2. #2Lisa42,720
  3. #3Susan37,532
  4. #4Linda35,597
  5. #5Karen34,707
  6. #6Patricia28,889
  7. #7Donna28,679
  8. #8Cynthia24,393
  9. #9Sandra24,153
  10. #10Deborah24,107
  11. #122Marilyn3,797

Top boys' names in 1961

  1. #1Michael86,974
  2. #2David84,810
  3. #3John79,983
  4. #4James75,969
  5. #5Robert72,977
  6. #6Mark57,796
  7. #7William48,045
  8. #8Richard41,142
  9. #9Thomas37,565
  10. #10Steven32,275
  11. #2,070Marilyn16
More about 1961

girls

2,018,495 girls got a published name in 1961; 1 in 532 of them was named Marilyn, which outranked 98.4% of the 7,527 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Marilyn
  1. #119Helen3,858
  2. #120Phyllis3,844
  3. #121Sherri3,807
  4. #122Marilyn3,797
  5. #123Melanie3,757
  6. #124Sylvia3,752
  7. #125Tamara3,728
Biggest movers since 1960
Risers
  1. ↑ 997Corinna#1,811 → #814
  2. ↑ 789Sabra#1,637 → #848
  3. ↑ 745Velvet#1,286 → #541
  4. ↑ 601Johnna#1,043 → #442
  5. ↑ 600Damita#1,597 → #997
Fallers
  1. ↓ 317Sheena#980 → #1,297
  2. ↓ 253Lita#909 → #1,162
  3. ↓ 241Jannette#970 → #1,211
  4. ↓ 229Francisca#939 → #1,168
  5. ↓ 214Andra#822 → #1,036

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

boys

2,124,195 boys got a published name in 1961; 1 in 132,762 of them was named Marilyn, which outranked 55.6% of the 4,657 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 29.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Marilyn
  1. #1,997West17
  2. #1,997Woodie17
  3. #1,997Zebedee17
  4. #2,070Marilyn16
  5. #2,070Alphonza16
  6. #2,070Aram16
  7. #2,070Armondo16
  8. #2,148Ardell15
  9. #2,148Arlo15
  10. #2,148Arvid15

Tied with 77 names at #2,070; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1960
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,171Parrish#4,038 → #867
  2. ↑ 589Brook#1,252 → #663
  3. ↑ 467Osvaldo#1,434 → #967
  4. ↑ 426Shayne#1,152 → #726
  5. ↑ 367Pernell#1,295 → #928
Fallers
  1. ↓ 425Wayde#672 → #1,097
  2. ↓ 380Yancy#923 → #1,303
  3. ↓ 301Jonas#905 → #1,206
  4. ↓ 264Tobin#833 → #1,097
  5. ↓ 253Keenan#748 → #1,001

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

See the top 100 for 1961 →