Marilyn

“Modern coinage — blend of Mary and Lynn” — Modern coinage origin

Girl's name · #761 in the US (2025) · Heirloom

Marilyn belongs to an older America first — it reached #13 back in 1936 — yet it still appears in today's records at #761. About 374,000 girls have carried it since 1899.

Around the world: about 1 in 8,100 girls in Canada (2024) · about 1 in 15,000 girls in England & Wales (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 35 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Marilyns

Marilyn Monroe — American actress and model (1926–1962)
Marilyn vos Savant — American magazine columnist, author and lecturer
Marilyn Waring — New Zealand politician and academic
Marilyn Horne — American mezzo-soprano opera singer (born 1934)
Marilyn Maxwell — American actress and singer (1921–1972)

In stories & tradition

Marilyn Munster — The Munsters
Marilyn Chambers — Home and Away
Marilyn — Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

What Marilyns become

Among 580 notable people named Marilyn:

Entertainers appear 1.71× more often than among typical names — e.g. Marilyn Monroe, American actress and model (1926–1962).

Similar names: Arlene · Marian · Kayleigh · Marlene · Kailyn · Rilynn

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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