Fun Facts About the Name Marlowe
- More than 6 thousand babies named Marlowe: U.S. records list 6,465 babies given the name Marlowe from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 1,662 boys received the name Marlowe - about 1 boy for every 3 girls.
What Does the Name Marlowe Mean?
Marlowe is an English name that comes from a place name. It is a variant spelling of Marlow, a habitational surname for someone from Marlow in Buckinghamshire. The place name is usually explained as Old English mere, meaning "lake" or "pool," combined with lāf, meaning "remnant" or "leavings." The literal sense was probably "remnant of a lake" or "land left by a lake," often given in modern references as "drained lake."
Marlowe Name History & Origins
The name began as a surname, not a given name. It belongs to the large class of English habitational surnames, which identified a person by the place he came from. The Buckinghamshire place name Marlow was recorded in the Domesday Book as Merelaf, a form that reflects the Old English elements mere and lāf. Over time the spelling shifted to Marlow, and the surname appeared with and without a final -e, giving the modern form Marlowe.
The surname is familiar from Christopher Marlowe (1564 - 1593), the Elizabethan playwright and poet, and from Philip Marlowe, the detective in Raymond Chandler's novels. These are later literary uses of the surname, not the origin of the name. As a first name, Marlowe is a later development from the surname and is used in the English-speaking world for both boys and girls.
How Popular is the Name Marlowe?
Marlowe recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Its best rank was #523 in 2025.
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 | #523 | 575 | 0.0358% |
| 2024 | #624 | 476 | 0.0295% |
| 2023 | #835 | 328 | 0.0205% |
| 2022 | #779 | 365 | 0.0223% |
| 2021 | #899 | 302 | 0.0184% |
| 2020 | #927 | 279 | 0.0173% |
| 2019 | #1,054 | 243 | 0.0145% |
| 2018 | #1,047 | 246 | 0.0145% |
| 2017 | #986 | 264 | 0.0153% |
| 2016 | #1,035 | 256 | 0.0145% |
| 2015 | #1,140 | 222 | 0.0124% |
| 2014 | #1,190 | 206 | 0.0115% |
| 2013 | #1,279 | 185 | 0.0105% |
| 2012 | #1,934 | 102 | 0.0058% |
| 2011 | #2,250 | 84 | 0.0048% |
| 2010 | #2,775 | 64 | 0.0036% |
| 2009 | #2,281 | 86 | 0.0047% |
| 2008 | #3,907 | 41 | 0.0022% |
| 2007 | #5,184 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2006 | #6,748 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2005 | #6,721 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2004 | #10,423 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #10,991 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #7,309 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2001 | #10,695 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #7,032 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1999 | #8,037 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #7,855 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1997 | #13,126 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #12,865 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #8,548 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #14,898 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #7,842 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1991 | #12,503 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #8,956 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1989 | #5,728 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1987 | #7,764 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #10,136 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #7,172 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1983 | #6,518 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1982 | #8,821 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #11,443 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #8,706 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #7,743 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1978 | #9,267 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #6,617 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1973 | #4,740 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1972 | #5,315 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1971 | #4,722 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1970 | #4,666 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1969 | #5,308 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1968 | #4,669 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1967 | #4,207 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1961 | #7,191 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1950 | #5,085 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1949 | #5,752 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #5,818 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1945 | #5,001 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1943 | #4,511 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #5,104 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #3,833 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1940 | #4,800 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1939 | #4,688 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #3,082 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1934 | #3,684 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1932 | #3,794 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1930 | #5,003 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1928 | #5,180 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1924 | #4,291 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1923 | #4,229 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1921 | #4,873 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #4,629 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,286 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 2024 | #2,768 | 47 | 0.0027% |
| 2023 | #3,154 | 39 | 0.0023% |
| 2022 | #3,508 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 2021 | #5,697 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2020 | #4,645 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2019 | #4,742 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2018 | #3,671 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 2017 | #5,695 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2016 | #5,067 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2015 | #5,437 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2014 | #5,628 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2013 | #7,363 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #6,198 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2011 | #4,930 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2010 | #5,644 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2009 | #7,531 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2008 | #5,676 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2007 | #9,442 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #5,696 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 2005 | #8,809 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #12,535 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #6,120 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2002 | #6,864 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #11,686 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #7,929 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #8,137 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #6,431 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #7,682 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #6,763 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #6,765 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #6,620 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #4,486 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1991 | #4,389 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1990 | #6,199 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #6,675 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #4,649 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #4,807 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1986 | #4,347 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #7,195 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #5,351 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #4,764 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #3,851 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #4,798 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #5,171 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1978 | #3,533 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1977 | #3,142 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1976 | #2,666 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1975 | #2,853 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1974 | #2,175 | 20 | 0.0013% |
| 1973 | #2,094 | 20 | 0.0013% |
| 1972 | #2,004 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1971 | #2,433 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1970 | #1,831 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1969 | #2,271 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1968 | #2,266 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1967 | #2,560 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1966 | #2,296 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1965 | #3,154 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1964 | #2,504 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1963 | #2,090 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1962 | #2,330 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1961 | #1,804 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1960 | #2,494 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1959 | #2,370 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1958 | #3,187 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1957 | #2,067 | 16 | 0.0007% |
| 1956 | #1,922 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1955 | #1,947 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1954 | #1,690 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1953 | #2,158 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1952 | #1,340 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 1951 | #1,509 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1950 | #2,390 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1949 | #2,083 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1948 | #1,689 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1947 | #1,580 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1946 | #1,862 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1945 | #2,683 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1944 | #1,793 | 16 | 0.0012% |
| 1943 | #3,131 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1942 | #2,344 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1940 | #1,866 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1939 | #1,613 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1938 | #2,058 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1937 | #1,965 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1936 | #1,768 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1935 | #1,633 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1934 | #1,484 | 22 | 0.0021% |
| 1933 | #1,439 | 23 | 0.0023% |
| 1932 | #1,824 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1931 | #1,812 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1930 | #1,634 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1929 | #1,904 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1928 | #1,549 | 24 | 0.0022% |
| 1927 | #2,003 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1926 | #1,880 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1925 | #1,911 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1924 | #2,951 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1923 | #2,191 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1922 | #2,582 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1921 | #2,457 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1920 | #2,021 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1919 | #3,029 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1918 | #1,874 | 18 | 0.0018% |
| 1917 | #2,377 | 12 | 0.0013% |
| 1916 | #1,912 | 16 | 0.0018% |
| 1915 | #1,938 | 15 | 0.0018% |
| 1914 | #3,580 | 5 | 0.0008% |
| 1913 | #1,481 | 14 | 0.0027% |
| 1912 | #2,776 | 5 | 0.0012% |
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 Marlowe 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 find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Marlowe's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Marlowe's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.