Marla
American back-formation from Marlene, first used in the 1930s.
Every Marla since 1912 — 38,819 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Marla
Marla is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,055 in 2025 with 92 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1912, 38,819 American babies have been named Marla. Its peak came in 1955, when 1,730 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Marla stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Marla year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 92 | #2,055 | — | — |
| 2024 | 79 | #2,340 | — | — |
| 2023 | 88 | #2,170 | — | — |
| 2022 | 80 | #2,333 | — | — |
| 2021 | 75 | #2,408 | — | — |
| 2020 | 68 | #2,540 | — | — |
| 2019 | 77 | #2,346 | — | — |
| 2018 | 63 | #2,728 | — | — |
| 2017 | 71 | #2,526 | — | — |
| 2016 | 69 | #2,583 | — | — |
| 2015 | 67 | #2,675 | — | — |
| 2014 | 86 | #2,209 | — | — |
| 2013 | 53 | #3,110 | — | — |
| 2012 | 71 | #2,559 | — | — |
| 2011 | 68 | #2,629 | — | — |
| 2010 | 85 | #2,271 | — | — |
| 2009 | 67 | #2,720 | — | — |
| 2008 | 68 | #2,710 | — | — |
| 2007 | 97 | #2,095 | — | — |
| 2006 | 73 | #2,530 | — | — |
| 2005 | 89 | #2,101 | — | — |
| 2004 | 97 | #1,936 | — | — |
| 2003 | 86 | #2,079 | — | — |
| 2002 | 102 | #1,778 | — | — |
| 2001 | 112 | #1,638 | — | — |
| 2000 | 114 | #1,567 | — | — |
| 1995 | 143 | #1,207 | — | — |
| 1990 | 250 | #806 | — | — |
| 1985 | 237 | #729 | — | — |
| 1980 | 417 | #496 | — | — |
| 1975 | 568 | #365 | — | — |
| 1970 | 1,090 | #273 | 5 | #5,184 |
| 1965 | 901 | #296 | 5 | #4,251 |
| 1960 | 1,087 | #272 | — | — |
| 1955 | 1,725 | #193 | 5 | #4,197 |
| 1950 | 681 | #299 | — | — |
| 1945 | 229 | #476 | — | — |
| 1940 | 147 | #577 | — | — |
| 1935 | 55 | #943 | — | — |
| 1930 | 11 | #2,796 | — | — |
| 1925 | 6 | #4,764 | — | — |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,480 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Marla
- Marla Maples Actor · b. 1963
- Marla Gibbs Actor · b. 1931
- Marla Sokoloff Actor · b. 1980
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Marla mean?
American back-formation from Marlene, first used in the 1930s.
How popular is the name Marla in 2025?
Marla ranked #2,055 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 92 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Marla?
38,819 babies have been named Marla in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Marla most popular?
Marla peaked in 1955, when 1,730 newborns received the name.
Is Marla a boy or girl name?
Marla is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Marla rising or falling?
Marla is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Marla?
Well-known people named Marla include Marla Maples (actor), Marla Gibbs (actor), Marla Sokoloff (actor).