Marlin
Gender-neutral name · English · Greek · Slavic
- US rank
- #1,778
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #276 in 1935
90 babies were named Marlin in the US in 2025. It has climbed 291 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1915–2025
US births per million boys, 1884–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Marlin you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 18,975 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Marlin, 90 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Marlin would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryMarlin first shows up in US birth records in 1884, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 141 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1935, when it ranked #276. Today it's #1,778, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendMarlin has climbed 291 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #1,778. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Where it's lovedMarlin is most popular in Wisconsin, where it ranks #618, followed by Pennsylvania (#662) and Ohio (#710). It's in the top 1,000 in 4 states.
- Boy or girlMarlin is given to both boys and girls: 87% of the 104 babies named Marlin in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- OriginMarlin is the #10 most popular Slavic boy name in the US. That's out of 96 Slavic boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Marlin
Marlin is a gender-neutral name of English, Greek and Slavic origin. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with M and ending in “-lin”. US birth records list Marlin for boys from 1884 to 2025, in 132 of those 142 years. Its best year was 1935, when it ranked #276 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,778, with 90 babies. Of the 104 US babies named Marlin in 2025, 13% were girls and 87% were boys.
Origin:English namesGreek namesSlavic names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 2.1 | 476,190 girls |
| 1920s | 2.6 | 383,142 girls |
| 1930s | 9.3 | 107,066 girls |
| 1940s | 9.2 | 108,932 girls |
| 1950s | 5.5 | 180,180 girls |
| 1960s | 7.5 | 133,156 girls |
| 1970s | 6.7 | 149,925 girls |
| 1980s | 9.6 | 104,167 girls |
| 1990s | 15 | 65,876 girls |
| 2000s | 18 | 55,006 girls |
| 2010s | 11 | 90,009 girls |
| 2020s | 7.6 | 131,291 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 8.7 | 114,504 boys |
| 1890s | 32 | 30,941 boys |
| 1900s | 92 | 10,913 boys |
| 1910s | 157 | 6,371 boys |
| 1920s | 209 | 4,778 boys |
| 1930s | 323 | 3,097 boys |
| 1940s | 207 | 4,823 boys |
| 1950s | 143 | 6,986 boys |
| 1960s | 108 | 9,224 boys |
| 1970s | 112 | 8,961 boys |
| 1980s | 61 | 16,383 boys |
| 1990s | 56 | 17,803 boys |
| 2000s | 44 | 22,732 boys |
| 2010s | 41 | 24,120 boys |
| 2020s | 46 | 21,708 boys |
Other spellings of Marlin
More English names
- Girl name: Olivia · olive tree
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name Marlin
What is the origin of the name Marlin?
Marlin has English, Greek, Slavic roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Oliver.
Is Marlin a boy or girl name?
Both. Marlin is used for boys and girls: in 2025, 13% of US babies named Marlin were girls.
How popular is the name Marlin?
Marlin ranked #1,778 for US boys in 2025, given to 90 babies. Its best year was 1935 (#276).