Marolyn
A feminine name of English origin meaning "unfortunate" or "bitter".
Name Census estimates that about 581 living Americans carry the first name Marolyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Marolyn today is around 76 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Marolyn births was 1946 (62 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Marolyn. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Marolyn is about 76 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Marolyns were born before 1960.
People living today
581
~ 1 in 589,939 Americans
Peak year
1946
62 babies that year
Average age
76
years old
1969 SSA rank
#5,310
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Marolyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Marolyn from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 486 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1940s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marolyn by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Marolyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Marolyns live
The SSA's state-level files cover 12 states and territories. Texas, California, Missouri recorded the most babies named Marolyn, while Tennessee, Ohio, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 15 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Marolyn
The name Marolyn is a unique and intriguing one, with its origins shrouded in mystery and open to interpretation. Some scholars suggest that it may have its roots in the ancient Celtic languages, possibly derived from a combination of the words "mar" meaning "sea" and "lyn" meaning "lake" or "pool." This could imply a connection to bodies of water, perhaps reflecting the significance of these natural resources in ancient Celtic cultures.
Others theorize that Marolyn may have evolved from the Latin name "Mariolina," which itself is a diminutive form of the name "Maria." This potential link to the revered name of the Virgin Mary could indicate a religious or spiritual connotation, although the exact origins remain uncertain.
Despite the lack of definitive historical records, a few notable individuals have borne the name Marolyn throughout history. One such figure was Marolyn Vye (1925-2011), an American actress and dancer who appeared in several Broadway productions and Hollywood films during the mid-20th century.
Marolyn Turcogeorge (1894-1979) was a notable French painter and printmaker, known for her vibrant depictions of Parisian life and landscapes. Her works are held in various museums and private collections around the world.
In the field of literature, Marolyn Krasner (1941-2020) was an acclaimed American poet and educator, whose works explored themes of identity, memory, and the human experience. Her poetry collections were widely celebrated and earned her numerous accolades.
Marolyn Ford (1944-2018) was a pioneering African American businesswoman and philanthropist, who founded the successful cosmetics company Marolyn's at a time when few women, especially women of color, held leadership positions in the business world.
Lastly, Marolyn Manners (1918-2005) was a notable British actress and singer, known for her roles in several popular television series and films throughout the latter half of the 20th century.
While the exact origins of the name Marolyn remain elusive, the individuals who have carried it throughout history have left their mark in various fields, from the arts and entertainment to business and literature. Their contributions serve as a testament to the unique and intriguing nature of this name.
People
Marolyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Marolyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Marolyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Marolyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 581 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Marolyn going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 589,939 US residents.
Is Marolyn a common name?
We classify Marolyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,381 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Marolyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Marolyn was 1946, when 62 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Marolyn is about 76 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Marolyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Marolyn in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.