Holding steady, #10,107 for girls today.
Popularity of Marlaina since 1953
Babies named Marlaina per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1986, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Marlaina's real moment was 1979.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 6 |
| 1960s | 78 |
| 1970s | 184 |
| 1980s | 339 |
| 1990s | 354 |
| 2000s | 235 |
| 2010s | 145 |
| 2020s | 54 |
Meaning & origin
Marlaina is a rare American coinage that first entered U.S. birth records in 1953, reflecting the mid-20th century trend for elaborate feminine names formed with the popular -aina ending. It reached its peak popularity in 1979, though even then it remained uncommon. In 2025, Marlaina ranked 10,107, with roughly 1 in 178,585 newborn girls receiving the name, and its trajectory has remained stable over recent decades. The name follows the pattern of blending existing name elements, drawing on the familiar Mar- sound from Marla or Mary. While never widespread, Marlaina embodies a distinctive, invented style that was characteristic of its era.
Marlaina is a 20th-century American coinage, combining the popular root Mar- (from names like Marla or Marlene, themselves derived from Mary or Marlene) with the fashionable -aina suffix, reminiscent of names like Alaina or Madelaina. The name first appeared in U.S. birth records in the 1950s and saw modest use through the 1970s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mar, Marla, Laina, Marly
Sibling names for Marlaina
Names that share Marlaina's style, for a brother or sister.
