Marlin
A male given name, variant of Merlin.
Every Marlin since 1884 — 22,834 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Marlin
Marlin is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,788 in 2025 with 90 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1884, 22,834 American babies have been named Marlin — about 93% boys and 7% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1935, when 400 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1930s.
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 Marlin stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Marlin 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 | 14 | #7,748 | 90 | #1,788 |
| 2024 | 10 | #10,001 | 83 | #1,913 |
| 2023 | 18 | #6,576 | 85 | #1,872 |
| 2022 | 12 | #8,857 | 78 | #1,976 |
| 2021 | 11 | #9,343 | 73 | #2,033 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10,820 | 68 | #2,086 |
| 2019 | 13 | #8,434 | 74 | #1,991 |
| 2018 | 9 | #11,126 | 86 | #1,788 |
| 2017 | 16 | #7,310 | 79 | #1,866 |
| 2016 | 16 | #7,484 | 70 | #2,036 |
| 2015 | 17 | #7,167 | 82 | #1,820 |
| 2014 | 11 | #9,940 | 81 | #1,837 |
| 2013 | 24 | #5,600 | 71 | #1,956 |
| 2012 | 32 | #4,566 | 86 | #1,752 |
| 2011 | 31 | #4,640 | 81 | #1,791 |
| 2010 | 26 | #5,357 | 69 | #1,994 |
| 2009 | 23 | #6,022 | 67 | #2,065 |
| 2008 | 41 | #3,907 | 78 | #1,870 |
| 2007 | 34 | #4,438 | 94 | #1,647 |
| 2006 | 40 | #3,834 | 96 | #1,548 |
| 2005 | 31 | #4,448 | 100 | #1,467 |
| 2004 | 38 | #3,792 | 85 | #1,563 |
| 2003 | 29 | #4,488 | 93 | #1,427 |
| 2002 | 37 | #3,635 | 80 | #1,553 |
| 2001 | 36 | #3,677 | 97 | #1,342 |
| 2000 | 27 | #4,492 | 88 | #1,415 |
| 1995 | 21 | #4,785 | 114 | #1,048 |
| 1990 | 27 | #3,864 | 117 | #968 |
| 1985 | 11 | #6,296 | 106 | #883 |
| 1980 | 8 | #7,845 | 119 | #807 |
| 1975 | 7 | #7,654 | 156 | #661 |
| 1970 | 11 | #4,955 | 182 | #604 |
| 1965 | 15 | #3,359 | 219 | #520 |
| 1960 | 14 | #3,464 | 231 | #524 |
| 1955 | 10 | #3,960 | 293 | #429 |
| 1950 | 8 | #4,195 | 289 | #400 |
| 1945 | 7 | #3,896 | 280 | #356 |
| 1940 | 13 | #2,377 | 315 | #318 |
| 1935 | 14 | #2,265 | 386 | #276 |
| 1930 | — | — | 312 | #314 |
| 1925 | — | — | 241 | #384 |
| 1920 | — | — | 172 | #465 |
| 1915 | 6 | #4,077 | 128 | #490 |
| 1910 | — | — | 14 | #845 |
| 1905 | — | — | 9 | #890 |
| 1900 | — | — | 11 | #826 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Marlin mean?
A male given name, variant of Merlin.
How popular is the name Marlin in 2025?
Marlin ranked #1,788 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 90 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Marlin?
22,834 babies have been named Marlin in the United States since 1884, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Marlin most popular?
Marlin peaked in 1935, when 400 newborns received the name.
Is Marlin a boy or girl name?
Marlin is used for both: about 7% of babies named Marlin have been girls and 93% boys.
Is the name Marlin rising or falling?
Marlin is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.