UK girl's name
Marlene
A feminine name derived from the German word "marl" meaning a type of rich soil.
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.
Marlene is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Marlene popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 15 births.
This profile covers 162 England and Wales registrations across 25 recorded years from 1996 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 27% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 245 living people in the UK are called Marlene. 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
- • Marlene ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 15 girls were registered as Marlene.
- • Marlene ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #485 in 1986.
- • About 245 living people in the UK are estimated to have Marlene as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4843
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2006
15 births
Estimated living
245
2026
Meaning
What does Marlene mean?
The name Marlene originates from the German language and is a feminine form of the name Maren, which is derived from the ancient Germanic root "mar" meaning "sea" or "lake". It is believed to have emerged as a distinct name during the Middle Ages in parts of northern Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marlene can be found in historical records from the 14th century in the region of Saxony, Germany. It was likely used as a contraction or diminutive of the longer name Maren or Marelene.
Throughout the centuries, the name Marlene gained popularity across various parts of Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. It was often associated with the concepts of water, lakes, and maritime regions, reflecting its linguistic roots.
One notable historical figure who bore the name Marlene was the German actress Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992), an iconic figure of the golden age of Hollywood. Her sultry on-screen persona and distinctive voice made her a legendary actress of her time.
Another famous Marlene was the French singer and actress Marlene Jobert (1943-2021), who gained recognition for her roles in various French films and theatrical productions throughout her career.
Marlene Dumas (born 1953) is a renowned South African artist known for her figurative paintings and her exploration of themes such as race, gender, and identity. Her works have been exhibited internationally and are held in prestigious collections worldwide.
In the literary realm, Marlene van Niekerk (born 1954) is a prominent South African writer and poet, best known for her novel "Triomf" which won the prestigious CNA Literary Award in 1995.
Marlene Ahrens (born 1933) was a German Olympic sprinter who won a gold medal in the 4x100 meter relay at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, showcasing the name's presence in the world of sports.
While the name Marlene has maintained its popularity over time, particularly in German-speaking regions and parts of Europe, it has also transcended cultural boundaries and gained recognition globally, with variations and adaptations in different languages and cultures.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Marlene over time
The chart below shows babies named Marlene registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Marlene, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 15 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marlene by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Marlene 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 | #3740 | 24 | 4 |
| 2010s | #3874 | 51 | 9 |
| 2000s | #2601 | 73 | 9 |
| 1990s | #3046 | 14 | 3 |
Geography
Where Marlene is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Marlene. 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.
Marlene ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #485 in 1986.
Across the UK
Marlene in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#485 in 1986
13 years of NRS records, 86 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Marlene
-
Marlene Robottom
academic
British academic
2000-
-
Marlene Hassan Nahon
politician
Gibraltarian journalist, historian, former politician & daughter of Sir Joshua Hassan
1976-
-
Marlene Smith
painter
British artist and curator
1964-
-
Marlene McKibbin
visual artist
1953-
-
Marlene Burger
writer; librarian; indexer
South African indexer, librarian and author
1947-
-
Marlene Rolfe
painter
1946-
-
Marlene Sidaway
film actor; actor
British actress
1937-
-
Marlene Hobsbawm
writer
second wife of Eric Hobsbawm
1932-
Related
Names similar to Marlene
- 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
Marlene: questions and answers
How popular is the name Marlene in the UK right now?
In 2024, Marlene was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Marlene most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 15 babies registered as Marlene in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Marlene?
A feminine name derived from the German word "marl" meaning a type of rich soil.
How many people are called Marlene in the UK?
A total of 162 babies have been registered as Marlene across the 25 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 86 more in Scotland.
Where is Marlene most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Marlene ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #485 in 1986. 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.