Fun Facts About the Name Marley
- More than 38 thousand babies named Marley: U.S. records list 38,388 babies given the name Marley from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 5,356 boys received the name Marley - about 1 boy for every 6 girls.
What Does the Name Marley Mean?
Marley is an English surname of habitational origin, usually explained as horse clearing or woodland clearing associated with horses. It comes from Old English mearh, meaning horse, and lēah, meaning wood or clearing. The name belongs to the large group of English place names and surnames formed with lēah, and it is not originally a personal name. As a given name, Marley is a transferred use of the surname.
The surname can come from more than one place called Marley in England, including places in Kent, Devon, and West Yorkshire. Those places share the same Old English elements, so the meaning is the same even when the surname arose independently from different settlements.
Marley Name History & Origins
The place names behind Marley were formed in the Old English period from mearh and lēah. The second element, lēah, became the ending -ley in many English place names and surnames. The surname Marley belongs to the medieval English habitational surname tradition.
As a first name, Marley is a transferred surname rather than a separate Old English personal name. It has been used for both boys and girls, and in modern English-speaking countries it is often treated as a unisex name. Charles Dickens used Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol (1843); this is a famous literary use of the surname, not evidence that the name was invented in that work. The surname also gained wide recognition through the Jamaican musician Bob Marley (1945 - 1981).
How Popular is the Name Marley?
Marley recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2008. Its best rank was #145 in 2008.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #322 | 950 | 0.0591% |
| 2024 | #287 | 1,100 | 0.0682% |
| 2023 | #285 | 1,106 | 0.0690% |
| 2022 | #276 | 1,139 | 0.0695% |
| 2021 | #215 | 1,379 | 0.0841% |
| 2020 | #211 | 1,369 | 0.0847% |
| 2019 | #233 | 1,335 | 0.0796% |
| 2018 | #222 | 1,417 | 0.0833% |
| 2017 | #209 | 1,475 | 0.0855% |
| 2016 | #215 | 1,500 | 0.0847% |
| 2015 | #218 | 1,499 | 0.0840% |
| 2014 | #203 | 1,650 | 0.0924% |
| 2013 | #210 | 1,533 | 0.0874% |
| 2012 | #260 | 1,241 | 0.0705% |
| 2011 | #258 | 1,237 | 0.0703% |
| 2010 | #234 | 1,345 | 0.0757% |
| 2009 | #149 | 2,171 | 0.1182% |
| 2008 | #145 | 2,359 | 0.1248% |
| 2007 | #391 | 839 | 0.0436% |
| 2006 | #416 | 766 | 0.0403% |
| 2005 | #473 | 651 | 0.0352% |
| 2004 | #517 | 556 | 0.0303% |
| 2003 | #574 | 486 | 0.0266% |
| 2002 | #631 | 404 | 0.0225% |
| 2001 | #596 | 423 | 0.0235% |
| 2000 | #695 | 337 | 0.0186% |
| 1999 | #716 | 317 | 0.0179% |
| 1998 | #753 | 287 | 0.0162% |
| 1997 | #893 | 226 | 0.0130% |
| 1996 | #857 | 233 | 0.0133% |
| 1995 | #903 | 210 | 0.0119% |
| 1994 | #900 | 214 | 0.0120% |
| 1993 | #1,047 | 176 | 0.0097% |
| 1992 | #1,150 | 153 | 0.0083% |
| 1991 | #1,254 | 135 | 0.0072% |
| 1990 | #1,750 | 84 | 0.0044% |
| 1989 | #1,581 | 89 | 0.0048% |
| 1988 | #1,700 | 76 | 0.0043% |
| 1987 | #1,827 | 64 | 0.0037% |
| 1986 | #1,808 | 63 | 0.0037% |
| 1985 | #1,457 | 86 | 0.0050% |
| 1984 | #2,826 | 32 | 0.0019% |
| 1983 | #2,830 | 31 | 0.0019% |
| 1982 | #3,382 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1981 | #4,270 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1980 | #5,428 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1979 | #4,989 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1978 | #4,584 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1977 | #3,858 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1976 | #7,802 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #5,034 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1974 | #4,153 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1973 | #4,737 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1972 | #4,977 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1971 | #5,001 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1970 | #6,143 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1969 | #4,916 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1968 | #7,735 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1967 | #5,820 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1966 | #5,124 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1965 | #7,157 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #6,319 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1959 | #5,374 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #5,205 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #6,400 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1953 | #5,441 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1951 | #4,669 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1950 | #5,082 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1949 | #4,524 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1948 | #5,734 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #4,792 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1938 | #4,166 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #4,102 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,397 | 131 | 0.0077% |
| 2024 | #1,238 | 161 | 0.0094% |
| 2023 | #1,203 | 166 | 0.0097% |
| 2022 | #1,140 | 184 | 0.0105% |
| 2021 | #1,132 | 180 | 0.0103% |
| 2020 | #940 | 234 | 0.0136% |
| 2019 | #1,065 | 192 | 0.0107% |
| 2018 | #889 | 244 | 0.0134% |
| 2017 | #949 | 220 | 0.0119% |
| 2016 | #859 | 263 | 0.0139% |
| 2015 | #862 | 262 | 0.0137% |
| 2014 | #816 | 279 | 0.0145% |
| 2013 | #879 | 239 | 0.0126% |
| 2012 | #1,028 | 190 | 0.0100% |
| 2011 | #1,045 | 182 | 0.0096% |
| 2010 | #917 | 221 | 0.0115% |
| 2009 | #790 | 286 | 0.0144% |
| 2008 | #766 | 291 | 0.0143% |
| 2007 | #1,268 | 139 | 0.0067% |
| 2006 | #1,262 | 133 | 0.0065% |
| 2005 | #1,532 | 93 | 0.0047% |
| 2004 | #1,694 | 76 | 0.0038% |
| 2003 | #1,534 | 84 | 0.0043% |
| 2002 | #1,582 | 78 | 0.0040% |
| 2001 | #1,855 | 60 | 0.0031% |
| 2000 | #1,827 | 59 | 0.0030% |
| 1999 | #1,843 | 54 | 0.0028% |
| 1998 | #2,184 | 42 | 0.0022% |
| 1997 | #2,191 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 1996 | #2,722 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1995 | #3,065 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1994 | #2,242 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 1993 | #2,327 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 1992 | #2,896 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1991 | #5,363 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #4,320 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #3,168 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1988 | #4,354 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #4,806 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1986 | #4,710 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #3,949 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1984 | #3,048 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1983 | #4,363 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1982 | #2,662 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1981 | #3,344 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1980 | #6,891 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #5,524 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #5,213 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #5,378 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #4,237 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #4,430 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1959 | #2,970 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1958 | #4,303 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1957 | #4,340 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1956 | #2,730 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1955 | #4,199 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1954 | #3,688 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1951 | #2,593 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1950 | #3,220 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1949 | #4,032 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #2,458 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1944 | #3,326 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #2,343 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1939 | #2,389 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1938 | #2,791 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1937 | #2,813 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1936 | #3,059 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1934 | #2,085 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1932 | #3,266 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1929 | #3,152 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1928 | #2,988 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1927 | #4,035 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1926 | #3,601 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1925 | #3,617 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1924 | #2,950 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1923 | #3,351 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1922 | #4,716 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1921 | #2,579 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1920 | #3,388 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1918 | #3,588 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1917 | #3,440 | 7 | 0.0008% |
| 1916 | #3,384 | 7 | 0.0008% |
| 1915 | #2,975 | 8 | 0.0009% |
| 1914 | #2,814 | 7 | 0.0011% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Marley Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Marley's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Marley's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.