Marley
From several different places in England, from Old English mære (“boundary”) or myrig (“pleasant”) or mearþ (“marten”) + lēah (“woodland clearing”).
Every Marley since 1914 — 38,404 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Marley
Marley is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #322 in 2025 with 950 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1914, 38,404 American babies have been named Marley — about 86% girls and 14% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2008, when 2,650 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
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 Marley stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Marley 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 | 950 | #322 | 131 | #1,397 |
| 2024 | 1,108 | #286 | 164 | #1,228 |
| 2023 | 1,108 | #284 | 166 | #1,204 |
| 2022 | 1,139 | #276 | 184 | #1,140 |
| 2021 | 1,379 | #215 | 180 | #1,133 |
| 2020 | 1,369 | #211 | 234 | #943 |
| 2019 | 1,336 | #233 | 192 | #1,065 |
| 2018 | 1,418 | #222 | 244 | #889 |
| 2017 | 1,475 | #209 | 220 | #950 |
| 2016 | 1,500 | #215 | 263 | #859 |
| 2015 | 1,499 | #218 | 262 | #863 |
| 2014 | 1,650 | #203 | 279 | #816 |
| 2013 | 1,533 | #210 | 239 | #879 |
| 2012 | 1,242 | #260 | 190 | #1,028 |
| 2011 | 1,237 | #259 | 182 | #1,045 |
| 2010 | 1,345 | #234 | 221 | #917 |
| 2009 | 2,171 | #149 | 286 | #790 |
| 2008 | 2,359 | #145 | 291 | #766 |
| 2007 | 839 | #391 | 139 | #1,268 |
| 2006 | 766 | #416 | 133 | #1,263 |
| 2005 | 651 | #473 | 93 | #1,532 |
| 2004 | 556 | #517 | 76 | #1,694 |
| 2003 | 486 | #574 | 84 | #1,534 |
| 2002 | 404 | #631 | 78 | #1,582 |
| 2001 | 423 | #596 | 60 | #1,855 |
| 2000 | 337 | #695 | 59 | #1,827 |
| 1995 | 210 | #903 | 23 | #3,065 |
| 1990 | 84 | #1,750 | 13 | #4,320 |
| 1985 | 86 | #1,456 | 11 | #3,949 |
| 1980 | 13 | #5,428 | 5 | #6,891 |
| 1975 | 12 | #5,033 | 6 | #5,213 |
| 1970 | 8 | #6,143 | — | — |
| 1965 | 5 | #7,158 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,400 | 5 | #4,198 |
| 1950 | 6 | #5,082 | 7 | #3,220 |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | 7 | #3,617 |
| 1920 | — | — | 8 | #3,388 |
| 1915 | — | — | 8 | #2,975 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Marley
- Marley Shelton Actor · b. 1974
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Marley mean?
From several different places in England, from Old English mære (“boundary”) or myrig (“pleasant”) or mearþ (“marten”) + lēah (“woodland clearing”).
How popular is the name Marley in 2025?
Marley ranked #322 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 950 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Marley?
38,404 babies have been named Marley in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Marley most popular?
Marley peaked in 2008, when 2,650 newborns received the name.
Is Marley a boy or girl name?
Marley is used for both: about 86% of babies named Marley have been girls and 14% boys.
Is the name Marley rising or falling?
Marley is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Marley?
Well-known people named Marley include Marley Shelton (actor).