Name meaning & stats
Marilyn
Marilyn means “beloved, or bitter (debated)”. 240,244 US babies since 1940, peak 1947. Notable Marilyns are 1.5× over-represented as politicians.
What it means
“beloved, or bitter (debated)”
Debated
A modern coinage.
In US birth records
Peak year: 1947
240,244 US babies were named Marilyn between 1940 and 2025.
Where Marilyns end up
Not enough notable Marilyns yet, so this uses the spelling family: Marilyn, Marlene.
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Politician | 1.5× | High · 32 people |
| Actor | 0.8× | High · 30 people |
| Writer | 1.0× | High · 26 people |
| Professor | 1.4× | Medium · 21 people |
Among notable women who are politicians, the Marilyn family show up 1.5× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Marilyn has a surprise career: 1.5×
Spelling family
The most common spelling: 62% of the family
- Marilyn 62%
- Marlene 24%
- Maryellen 3%
- Marilynn 2%
- Marlen 2%
- Marlyn 1%
- Marleen 1%
- Marylin 1%
- Marylynn 1%
- Marylyn 1%
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1947)