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Marlene

“Modern coinage — blend of Maria and Magdalene” — Modern coinage origin

Girl's name · #1268 in the US (2025) · Heirloom

Marlene reached #39 back in 1935; about 131,000 girls have carried it since 1904. In a single year its births jumped from about 310 in 1930 to 2,600 in 1931 — the year after Marlene Dietrich’s Hollywood breakthrough in Morocco.

Around the world: #48 in Austria (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 13 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Marlenes

• Marlene Dietrich — German and American actress and singer (1901–1992)
• Marlene Dumas — South African painter and draftsperson (born 1953)
• Marlène Jobert — French actress and author
• Marlene Favela — Mexican model and actress
• Marlene Schmidt — German actress

In stories & tradition

• Marlene McKinnon — Harry Potter
• Marlene Alraune — fictional human
• Marlène Leroy — Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie

What Marlenes become

Among 694 notable people named Marlene:

Medical professionals appear 1.88× more often than among typical names — e.g. Marlene Dobkin de Rios, American anthropologist and psychotherapist (1939-2012).

Similar names: Marlena · Arlene · Marilyn · Charlene · Neveah · Darlene

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

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