Rising since 1987, #5,099 for girls today.
Popularity of Marly since 1949
Babies named Marly per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 6 |
| 1950s | 19 |
| 1960s | 22 |
| 1970s | 82 |
| 1980s | 146 |
| 1990s | 279 |
| 2000s | 497 |
| 2010s | 431 |
| 2020s | 178 |
Meaning & origin
Marly is a name that has seen a steady rise in usage since 1987, reflecting a broader trend toward surname-styled, -ly ending names. First recorded in 1949, it reached its peak popularity in 2008, when it ranked higher than in any other year. Despite its relatively low overall rank of 5099 in 2025, with about 1 in 64,291 newborns receiving the name, Marly has maintained a consistent presence. Its origins are uncertain but likely tie back to the English surname Marley, which itself derives from Old English elements meaning 'pleasant wood' or 'boundary wood'. While not heavily concentrated in any specific U.S. state, Marly has gained a modest following among parents seeking a name that feels both familiar and distinctive.
Marly likely emerged as a variant of Marley, an English surname and place name derived from Old English elements 'mære' (pleasant) or 'mearc' (boundary) and 'leah' (wood, clearing). As a given name, Marly gained modest use in the mid-20th century, paralleling the popularity of other -ly ending names. It has seen a gradual rise since the late 1980s, particularly for girls.
“Marly” around the world
Where Marly lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mar, Lee
Sibling names for Marly
Names that share Marly's style, for a brother or sister.
