Marlin
Marlin may refer to the following people:
- English
Meaning & Origin of Marlin
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Marlin may refer to the following people:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Marlin
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Marlin as a girl name dates back to 1915, when 6 babies received it. 1991 was its biggest year on record, with 42 newborns named Marlin — #2,790 in the national rankings. About 20% of every Marlin on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Marlin ranks #7,821 for girls with 13 births, gradually rising (+14%). All told, over 2K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Marlin on the record books as a boy name in 1884, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1935, when 386 Marlins were born — ranking #276 that year. As of 2026, Marlin ranks #1,889 for boys with 86 births, gradually rising (+9%). All told, over 21K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Marlin
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Marlin. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Marlin
Phonetically similar names — useful when Marlin 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 Marlin
What does the name Marlin mean?
What is the origin of the name Marlin?
How popular is Marlin in 2026?
When was Marlin most popular?
In which U.S. states is Marlin most popular?
Is Marlin a unisex name?
What names go well with Marlin?
What are nicknames or variants of Marlin?
About the name Marlin
Marlin is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1884 and has accumulated 21K births in the dataset. Marlin's peak popularity came in 1935 when it ranked #276. Use the chart and map above to compare Marlin's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1935 →
- Names of the 1930s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all boy names →
- 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.