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Marlin

Marlin: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning
“sea fish”
Origin
English
Say it
MAR-lin · 2 syllables
Used for
Boys (93% of all uses)

Marlin comes from the English word for the large ocean fish. It is also sometimes used as a surname or as a variant influenced by Marlon, so usage can have more than one source.

English namesNames meaning animalNames meaning seaNames meaning waterNature names

How popular is Marlin?

202427.0 per million US babies
1880192019602000
Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Babies named Marlin in 202491

2024 rank#1,934 boys

Peak year1935

Total US babies since 188022,725

Marlin is steady now but far below its 1935 peak.

Names like Marlin

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

  • Marlynfrom Mary and Lynn · English
  • JackGod is gracious · English
  • Hudsonson of Hudd · English
  • Jacksonson of Jack · English
  • Cartercart driver · English
  • Wyattbrave in war · English
  • Maverickindependent person · English
  • Masonstoneworker · English

Marlin questions

What does the name Marlin mean?

Marlin means "sea fish". It comes from English. Marlin comes from the English word for the large ocean fish. It is also sometimes used as a surname or as a variant influenced by Marlon, so usage can have more than one source.

Is Marlin a boy or girl name?

Marlin is mainly a boy's name in US records (93% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Marlin?

91 US babies were named Marlin in 2024. Its peak year was 1935.

How do you pronounce Marlin?

Marlin is usually pronounced MAR-lin.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.