Marley
Robert Nesta Marley was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska, and rocksteady, and was renowned for his distinctive vocal and songwriting style. Marley increased the visibility of Jamaican music worldwide and became a global figure in popular culture.
Meaning & Origin of Marley
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Robert Nesta Marley was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska, and rocksteady, and was renowned for his distinctive vocal and songwriting style. Marley increased the visibility of Jamaican music worldwide and became a global figure in popular culture.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Marley
As a girl name
Marley first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1937, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 2,359 Marleys were born — ranking #145 that year. As of 2026, Marley ranks #312 for girls with 1,000 births, falling sharply (-23%). In total, more than 34K Marleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Marley first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1914, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 291 Marleys were born — ranking #763 that year. As of 2026, Marley ranks #1,339 for boys with 143 births, falling sharply (-25%). In total, more than 6K Marleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Marley
Phonetically similar names — useful when Marley 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 Marley
What does the name Marley mean?
How popular is Marley in 2026?
When was Marley most popular?
In which U.S. states is Marley most popular?
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What names go well with Marley?
About the name Marley
Marley is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1937 and has accumulated 34K births in the dataset. Marley's peak popularity came in 2008 when it ranked #145. Use the chart and map above to compare Marley's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2008 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "M" →
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- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.