Marlin Name Meaning, Popularity and Origins
Origin:
Welsh
Gender Distribution:
93% Masculine / 7% Feminine
Meaning:
Marlin is a name with origins in Welsh and associations with wisdom and the sea.
Meaning of the Name Marlin
Marlin is a variant of the name Merlin, which is derived from the Welsh name Myrddin. Myrddin was the name of a legendary wizard and prophet in Welsh folklore, known as the advisor to King Arthur. The name Marlin has connections to the sea as well, as it is also the name of a large, fast-growing fish found in warm oceanic waters. In both cases, Marlin carries connotations of wisdom, magic, and strength.
Popularity of the Name Marlin
The popularity for the name Marlin peaked in popularity in the year 1935 with 386 births, which ranked number 596 out of 8,084 unique names for that year. Marlin had the most female births in 1991 with 42, which ranked number 2,790 out of 15,466 female names for that year, and had the most male births in 1935 with 386, which ranked number 276 out of 4,145 male names for that year. The number of births for the name Marlin has declined sharply over the last ten years from 118 births to 88 births, a decline of -25.42%. Among males, Marlin has declined in popularity over the last ten years from 86 births to 76 births, a decline of -11.63%. Among females, Marlin has declined sharply in popularity over the last ten years from 32 births to 12 births, a decline of -62.50%.
Nationwide Popularity of Marlin
- 20 Year Trend of Marlin: -24.79%
- 10 Year Trend of Marlin: -25.42%
- 10 Year Male Trend of Marlin: -11.63%
- 10 Year Female Trend of Marlin: -62.50%
Popularity of Marlin by State
For males, Marlin was most popular in Midwestern states with 20 births in the region. It was most commonly seen in PA, with 13 male births. See below for a full state by state breakdown of the name Marlin. States with less than five births recorded will not be shown.
| State | Male Births | Male Gender Rank | Female Births | Female Gender Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL | 9 | 1246 | < 5 | N/A |
| IN | 7 | 769 | < 5 | N/A |
| OH | 5 | 1277 | < 5 | N/A |
| PA | 13 | 666 | < 5 | N/A |
| WI | 8 | 567 | < 5 | N/A |
2024 Popularity Projections for Marlin
- Total Births of Marlin: 85 (-2.89%)
- Male Births of Marlin: 75 (-1.23%)
- Female Births of Marlin: 11 (-9.34%)
Given the downward trend of Marlin over the last 10 years, we expect this to continue in 2024 with roughly a -2.89% decrease in total births, for a total of 85 births in 2024. Male births for Marlin have been decreasing over the past decade, so we anticipate roughly 75 male births in 2024, a decrease of -1.23%. For Females, births for Marlin have been decreasing over the past 10 years, and we expect roughly 11 female births in 2024, a decrease of -9.34%.