The name Marion has its roots in the ancient Roman name Marianus, which was derived from the name Marius. Marius was a Roman family name that likely originated from the Latin word "mas," meaning male or masculine. The name Marianus was a patronymic form, indicating "belonging to Marius."

In the early Christian era, the name Marion gained popularity as a variant of the name Maria, which was the Latin form of the name Mary, the mother of Jesus. Marion was sometimes used as a masculine name but more commonly as a feminine name. It was particularly popular in France and other parts of Western Europe during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Marion can be found in the 12th century, when a French noblewoman named Marion de Lorme (1613-1679) gained notoriety as a courtesan and mistress of several prominent figures, including Cardinal Richelieu.

Another notable figure bearing the name Marion was Marion Delorme (1613-1650), a French dramatist and poet who wrote several successful plays during the reign of Louis XIII.

In the United States, the name Marion gained prominence with the Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion (1732-1795), also known as the "Swamp Fox." He was a military officer who led a successful guerrilla campaign against the British forces in South Carolina.

Another famous American with the name Marion was Marion Mitchell Morrison, better known as John Wayne (1907-1979), the iconic Hollywood actor who starred in numerous Western films.

In the world of literature, Marion Zimmer Bradley (1930-1999) was an American author best known for her Arthurian fantasy novels, particularly "The Mists of Avalon."

While the name Marion has waned in popularity in recent decades, it has a rich history spanning centuries and cultures, with notable individuals bearing the name in various fields, including literature, politics, and the arts.