NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Marlie

A diminutive form of the name Marlene, derived from Mary.

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.

Marlie is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Marlie popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #575, with 68 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 68 births.

This profile covers 852 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.

Marlie is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 921 living people in the UK are called Marlie. 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

  • Marlie ranked #575 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 68 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 68 girls were registered as Marlie.
  • Marlie ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #351 in 2024.
  • About 921 living people in the UK are estimated to have Marlie as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 90.2% of Marlie registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#575

2024

Births in 2024

68

Latest year

Peak year

2024

68 births

Estimated living

921

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Marlie

In England and Wales birth records, Marlie has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 9.8% of registrations are for boys and 90.2% 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.

90% girls
Boys93 (9.8%)Girls852 (90.2%)

Marlie registered for boys

  • Ranked #3,523 in 2023
  • 5 boys registered in 2023
  • Peak: 2006 (9 births)

Marlie registered for girls

  • Ranked #575 in 2024
  • 68 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2024 (68 births)

Meaning

What does Marlie mean?

The name Marlie is a feminine given name of English origin, derived from the combination of the names Mary and Lily. It gained popularity in the late 20th century as a unique variation of the more traditional names Mary and Marie.

The name Mary has its roots in the Hebrew name Miryam, which is believed to be derived from the ancient Egyptian words "mer," meaning beloved, and "iamu," meaning wished-for child. The name Lily, on the other hand, is derived from the Greek word "leirion," meaning lily flower.

While there are no direct historical references to the name Marlie itself, the components of the name have a rich history. The name Mary has been widely used in various cultures and religions, particularly in Christianity, where it is associated with the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. The lily flower has also been a significant symbol in many cultures, representing purity, innocence, and fertility.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Marlie can be found in the late 19th century, when it appeared as a character's name in the novel "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson, published in 1886.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Marlie:

1. Marlie Douglass (1888-1962), an American actress and singer known for her performances in vaudeville and Broadway productions. 2. Marlie Becker (1901-1985), a German-American artist and sculptor renowned for her abstract expressionist works. 3. Marlie Ours (1923-2016), an American politician who served as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1971 to 1978. 4. Marlie Reis (1932-2022), a Brazilian actress and television presenter who appeared in numerous telenovelas and films throughout her career. 5. Marlie Centawer (born 1949), an American visual artist and photographer known for her experimental techniques and exploration of light and color.

The name Marlie has a unique blend of traditional and modern elements, combining the timeless appeal of the names Mary and Lily with a fresh and distinctive sound. While it may not have a long historical lineage, its components carry rich cultural and symbolic significance, making it a captivating choice for parents seeking a name with depth and character.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Marlie over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Marlie 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 Marlie, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 68 births in 2024, compared with 68 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
017345168199720102024

Decades

Marlie by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Marlie 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 #675 278 5
2010s #901 425 10
2000s #2015 142 9
1990s #3511 7 2

Geography

Where Marlie is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Marlie. 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.

Marlie ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #351 in 2024.

Scotland
9

Across the UK

Marlie in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#351 in 2024

14 years of NRS records, 73 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Marlie

  • Marlie Packer

    plumber; rugby union player

    rugby union player

    1989-

Related

Names similar to Marlie

FAQ

Marlie: questions and answers

How popular is the name Marlie in the UK right now?

In 2024, Marlie was ranked #575 for girls in England and Wales, with 68 births registered.

When was Marlie most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 68 babies registered as Marlie in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Marlie?

A diminutive form of the name Marlene, derived from Mary.

How many people are called Marlie in the UK?

A total of 852 babies have been registered as Marlie across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 73 more in Scotland.

Where is Marlie most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Marlie ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #351 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.