UK name, mostly girls
Marleigh
A modern feminine name of uncertain meaning, perhaps a combination of "Mary" and "Leigh".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Marleigh is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Marleigh popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3015, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 26 births.
This profile covers 196 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 1998 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 31% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 209 living people in the UK are called Marleigh. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Marleigh ranked #3015 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 8 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 26 girls were registered as Marleigh.
- • Marleigh ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #638 in 2024.
- • About 209 living people in the UK are estimated to have Marleigh as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 96.6% of Marleigh registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3015
2024
Births in 2024
8
Latest year
Peak year
2022
26 births
Estimated living
209
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Marleigh
In England and Wales birth records, Marleigh has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 3.4% of registrations are for boys and 96.6% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Marleigh registered for boys
- Ranked #3,996 in 2017
- 4 boys registered in 2017
- Peak: 2017 (4 births)
Marleigh registered for girls
- Ranked #3,015 in 2024
- 8 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (26 births)
Meaning
What does Marleigh mean?
The given name Marleigh is a relatively modern invention, likely originating in the late 20th or early 21st century. It does not have a definitive origin rooted in any particular language or culture. The name appears to be a combination of the English names Marlene and Leigh, both of which have separate etymological roots.
Marlene is a German name derived from the late Germanic name Amal, meaning "work." The spelling variation Marlene emerged in the 19th century and gained popularity due to the German actress Marlene Dietrich. Leigh, on the other hand, is an English surname derived from the Old English word "leah," meaning a meadow or woodland clearing.
There are no known historical references or records of the name Marleigh itself appearing in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical documents. The earliest recorded examples of the name likely date back only a few decades at most, as it is a relatively modern creation.
Due to its recent origin, there are limited historical figures associated with the name Marleigh. However, here are five notable individuals who share similar names:
1. Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992), a German-American actress and singer known for her iconic roles in films such as "The Blue Angel" and "Witness for the Prosecution."
2. Leigh Hunt (1784-1859), an English essayist, poet, and critic who played a crucial role in the Romantic movement in English literature.
3. Marlene Favela (born 1976), a Mexican actress known for her roles in telenovelas such as "Gata Salvaje" and "La Mujer de Judas."
4. Leigh Brackett (1915-1978), an American writer and screenwriter who contributed to the scripts of iconic films like "The Big Sleep" and "Rio Bravo."
5. Marlene Wilders (born 1933), a Dutch singer and actress who represented the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957.
It is important to note that while these individuals share similar names or name components, they are not directly associated with the name Marleigh itself, as it is a relatively modern construct.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Marleigh over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Marleigh in England and Wales, from 1998 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Marleigh, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2024, compared with 26 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marleigh by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Marleigh was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1853 | 87 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3054 | 80 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3065 | 25 | 3 |
| 1990s | #3142 | 4 | 1 |
Geography
Where Marleigh is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Marleigh. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Marleigh ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #638 in 2024.
Across the UK
Marleigh in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#638 in 2024
4 years of NRS records, 14 total registered
Related
Names similar to Marleigh
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Marleigh: questions and answers
How popular is the name Marleigh in the UK right now?
In 2024, Marleigh was ranked #3015 for girls in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.
When was Marleigh most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 26 babies registered as Marleigh in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Marleigh?
A modern feminine name of uncertain meaning, perhaps a combination of "Mary" and "Leigh".
How many people are called Marleigh in the UK?
A total of 196 babies have been registered as Marleigh across the 19 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 14 more in Scotland.
Where is Marleigh most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Marleigh ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #638 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.