Girl · #6,564 in 2026

Marionette

A marionette, or string puppet, is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a marionettist. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by using a vertical or horizontal control bar in different forms of theatres or entertainment venues.

Current Rank
#6,564
Peak Rank
#3,880 (1964)
Total Babies
103
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1924
First Year
1966
Last Year
1964
Peak Year
#3880
Peak Rank
103
Total Count
16
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Marionette

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

A marionette, or string puppet, is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a marionettist. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by using a vertical or horizontal control bar in different forms of theatres or entertainment venues.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
In French, marionnette means 'little Mary'. During the Middle Ages, string puppets were often used in France to depict biblical events, with the Virgin Mary being a popular character, hence the name. In France, the word marionnette can refer to any kind of puppet, but elsewhere it typically refers only to string puppets.

The Story of Marionette

Marionette first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1924, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1964, when 12 Marionettes were born — ranking #3,880 that year. As of 2026, Marionette ranks #6,564 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 103 Marionettes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
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VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
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HI
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Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Marionette

Phonetically similar names — useful when Marionette is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Marionette

What does the name Marionette mean?
A marionette, or string puppet, is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a marionettist. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by using a vertical or horizontal control bar in different forms of theatres or entertainment venues.
How popular is Marionette in 2026?
In 2026, Marionette ranks #6,564 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Marionette most popular?
Marionette reached its peak popularity in 1964, ranking #3,880 that year with 12 babies given the name.
Is Marionette a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Marionette is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Marionette?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Marionette include Ceclia, Robby, Luticia. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Ceclia
Peak #3880
👧
Robby
Peak #3880
👧
Luticia
Peak #3880
👧
Correen
Peak #3880
👧
Bernardette
Peak #3880
👧
Danese
Peak #3880
👧
Judiann
Peak #3880
👧
Jancy
Peak #3880

About the name Marionette

Marionette is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1924 and has accumulated 103 births in the dataset. Marionette's peak popularity came in 1964 when it ranked #3,880. Use the chart and map above to compare Marionette's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.