Declining since 2021, #7,885 for girls today.
Popularity of Marilla since 1880
Babies named Marilla per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2022, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Marilla's real moment was 1882.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 29 |
| 1890s | 57 |
| 1900s | 42 |
| 1910s | 94 |
| 1920s | 104 |
| 1930s | 79 |
| 1940s | 72 |
| 1950s | 38 |
| 1960s | 6 |
| 1970s | 7 |
| 1980s | 12 |
| 1990s | 33 |
| 2000s | 58 |
| 2010s | 86 |
| 2020s | 85 |
Meaning & origin
Marilla is a name that peaked in 1882, with its highest recorded usage in the late 19th century. In 2025, it ranks 7,885 and appears in about 1 in 123,636 births, reflecting a niche but persistent presence. The name's trajectory has been falling since 2021, following a broader decline in vintage names. While it lacks any top states or modern resurgence, Marilla holds a quiet charm, partly due to its literary association with the stalwart Marilla Cuthbert in Anne of Green Gables. The name is a soft, feminine choice that feels both historical and gently unusual.
Marilla is a feminine given name that appears to have emerged in the 19th century, likely as an elaboration of Mary, combined with the diminutive suffix -illa. It may also be a variant of the name Marilla, which is possibly from a Latin root meaning "sea" (mare). The name gained modest popularity in the United States in the late 1800s, peaking in 1882. It is sometimes considered a literary name due to its use in L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables (1908) as Marilla Cuthbert, though the name predates the novel.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mari, Rilla
Sibling names for Marilla
Names that share Marilla's style, for a brother or sister.
