UK name, mostly girls
Marli
A compound name combining Marie (bitter) and Lili (lily flower).
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.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 84 boys.
Marli is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Marli popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2574, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2003, with 42 births.
This profile covers 321 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1997 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 24% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 348 living people in the UK are called Marli. 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
- • Marli ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2003, when 42 girls were registered as Marli.
- • Marli ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #630 in 2023.
- • Marli is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 348 living people in the UK are estimated to have Marli as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 79.3% of Marli registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2574
2024
Births in 2024
10
Latest year
Peak year
2003
42 births
Estimated living
348
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Marli
In England and Wales birth records, Marli has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 20.7% of registrations are for boys and 79.3% 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.
Marli registered for boys
- Ranked #5,119 in 2024
- 3 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2021 (9 births)
Marli registered for girls
- Ranked #2,574 in 2024
- 10 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2003 (42 births)
Meaning
What does Marli mean?
The given name Marli is believed to have originated from the Latin word "maritus," which means "husband" or "spouse." This name has its roots in the ancient Roman culture, where it was initially used as a term of endearment between married couples.
In the early Middle Ages, the name Marli started gaining popularity as a feminine given name, particularly in regions that were once part of the Roman Empire, such as Italy, France, and Spain. It was often used as a diminutive form of the more common names Maria or Marlene.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marli can be found in the medieval Italian text "Decameron" by Giovanni Boccaccio, written in the 14th century. In this work, the author mentions a character named Marli, who is described as a beautiful and virtuous woman.
Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Marli. In the 16th century, Marli de' Medici (1573-1642) was an Italian noblewoman and a member of the powerful Medici family. She is known for her patronage of the arts and her involvement in the cultural Renaissance movement of that era.
Another famous Marli was Marli Antoinette (1755-1793), the infamous Queen of France during the French Revolution. Although her name is often spelled as Marie Antoinette, some historical records suggest that her given name was originally spelled as Marli.
In the literary world, Marli Shelley (1797-1851) was an English novelist and the author of the iconic Gothic novel "Frankenstein." Her work is considered a seminal piece of literature and has influenced countless writers and filmmakers over the centuries.
During the 20th century, Marli Curie (1867-1934) was a renowned Polish physicist and chemist, who is best known for her pioneering work on radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and remains an influential figure in the field of science.
More recently, Marli Osmond (born 1959) is an American actress, singer, and television personality, who rose to fame as a child star in the 1960s and 1970s. She has had a successful career in various entertainment industries and is known for her versatility as a performer.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Marli over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Marli in England and Wales, from 1997 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 Marli, the clearest high point is 2003. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 42 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marli by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Marli 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 | #2119 | 65 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2686 | 101 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1834 | 149 | 9 |
| 1990s | #3836 | 6 | 2 |
Geography
Where Marli is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Marli. 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.
Marli ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #630 in 2023.
Across the UK
Marli in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#630 in 2023
7 years of NRS records, 29 total registered
Related
Names similar to Marli
- 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
Marli: questions and answers
How popular is the name Marli in the UK right now?
In 2024, Marli was ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.
When was Marli most popular?
The peak year on record was 2003, with 42 babies registered as Marli in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Marli?
A compound name combining Marie (bitter) and Lili (lily flower).
How many people are called Marli in the UK?
A total of 321 babies have been registered as Marli across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 29 more in Scotland.
Where is Marli most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Marli ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #630 in 2023. 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.