NamePetalNamePetal

Marlene

Marlene is a girl's name of German origin. Its meaning is not recorded in the standard references we check — we would rather tell you that plainly than guess. In 2024 it was given to 137 girls in the United States.

Marlene at a glance

Gender
Girl name
Origin
German
Meaning
Not recorded in standard references
Also spelled
Marlena, Marleen

About the name Marlene

Marlene belongs to the German tradition. Its roots are documented, even though its precise meaning is not recorded in the standard references — an honest gap we prefer to a confident guess. It travels in a few spellings: Marlena, Marleen.

In the United States, Marlene first appears in Social Security records in 1904. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #39 in 1935, and in 2024 137 babies received the name — 130,396 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Marlene in US records

First recorded (US)
1904
Best US rank
#39 in 1935
Peak year
1936
Babies named Marlene in 2024
137
Total since 1880
130,396

Spellings & short forms

MarlenaMarleen

Similar names

More names from the German shelf:

LindaGermanKarenGermanEmmaGermanAliceGermanEllaGermanLouiseGermanAnneGermanEdithGerman

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Marlene mean?

The meaning of Marlene is not recorded in the standard references we check. Rather than repeat an unsourced claim, we leave it open — its German origin is documented, but its exact meaning is not.

Is Marlene a boy or girl name?

Marlene is a girl name. In 2024, 137 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Marlene?

Marlene comes from the German tradition. It is also spelled Marlena, Marleen.

How popular is the name Marlene?

Marlene first appears in US records in 1904. Its best-ever ranking was #39 in 1935, and 137 babies were given the name in 2024.

Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. If you spot an error, write to hello@namepetal.com — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.