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Marla as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Marla

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The baby name Marla is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈmɑːrlə/ — respelling: "MAR-lə".

Marla is English in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: English
Pronunciation: IPA: /ˈmɑːrlə/ — respelling: "MAR-lə"

What is the meaning of the name Marla ?

The baby name Marla is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈmɑːrlə/ — respelling: "MAR-lə".

Marla is English in Origin.

Marla is a modern English feminine name, most often understood as a clipped form of Marlene, the German contraction of Maria and Magdalene. Through Maria (from Hebrew Miryam) it carries layered interpretations such as wished-for child or bitterness, while Magdalene points to Magdala, "tower" on the Sea of Galilee. The name is also used as an independent coinage and sometimes as a short form of Marlena or Marilyn.

It entered broad use in the mid-20th century, buoyed by the vogue for Marlene and Hollywood glamour; usage in the U.S. peaked in the 1960s-70s. Notable bearers include actress Marla Gibbs and model-actress Marla Maples; Marla Singer in Fight Club lends a sharp modern edge. Related forms are Marlene, Marlena, Marleen, Marlaina, and the diminutives Marli/Marlee. Though often confused with Marlo or Marley, those have distinct origins. Overall, Marla blends vintage polish with concise ease.

Marla has the following similar or variant Names

Marla – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Germany Girls 2025 #1 411
Ireland Girls 2024 #1 911
SV Girls 0 #18 1 458
HN Girls 0 #38 1 884
PR 0 #55 1 1,497
AO 0 #74 4 2,729
PH 0 #104 7 5,607
QA 0 #104 3 7,011
Switzerland Girls 2024 #110 26 1,786
EC 0 #121 1 2,502
PA 0 #130 9 3,797
MU 0 #137 1 3,613
PR Girls 0 #146 16 3,171
MT Girls 0 #149 5 3,773
CR 0 #160 6 5,526
Sweden Girls 2022 #178 2 1,568
PR Boys 0 #178 1 2,508
HR 0 #181 1 2,081
AE 0 #185 3 10,220
CZ 0 #186 1 3,154
AO Girls 0 #190 20 4,575
RU 0 #194 1 3,641
PL 0 #211 2 2,600
AL Girls 0 #227 1 4,141
BG Girls 0 #231 1 3,559
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
JM Girls 0 #236 24 7,507
NA Girls 0 #237 1 7,146
PT 0 #246 5 4,161
GR Girls 0 #248 2 6,293
JP Girls 0 #250 2 6,592
EC Girls 0 #256 3 3,650
HR Boys 0 #259 1 3,997
MO Girls 0 #262 2 7,056
Canada Girls 2024 #279 7 2,795
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
TW Girls 0 #287 3 8,139
HR Girls 0 #291 4 3,687
JP Boys 0 #302 2 7,909
DK Girls 0 #328 2 7,429
KZ Girls 0 #329 4 5,862
PE 0 #329 1 6,350
GT 0 #330 9 5,948
BR 0 #333 13 5,969
QA Girls 0 #336 8 15,378
MU Girls 0 #338 14 8,539
PH Girls 0 #338 53 13,098
PL Boys 0 #340 1 6,459
PL Girls 0 #342 13 5,096
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
MY 0 #354 1 12,352
CN Girls 0 #359 1 8,829
Finland Girls 0 #378 14 1,368
MX 0 #378 36 8,339
France Girls 2021 #387 19 3,185
YE 0 #397 2 8,639
CL 0 #398 14 6,867
BO 0 #408 1 6,868
PA Girls 0 #408 74 9,861
UY Boys 0 #413 1 5,922
PT Girls 0 #416 36 7,952
OM Girls 0 #423 2 15,987
CO 0 #444 37 7,768
ZA 0 #468 7 14,421
CR Girls 0 #471 62 11,342
GT Girls 0 #474 32 7,500
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
RU Girls 0 #485 14 11,913
GT Boys 0 #497 3 7,625
KW Girls 0 #498 18 19,177
PA Boys 0 #505 1 9,305
CR Boys 0 #510 1 10,188
IQ Girls 0 #517 9 11,303
UY Girls 0 #528 9 6,731
PS Girls 0 #539 9 10,981
AE Girls 0 #541 13 20,968
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
CM Girls 0 #558 3 11,671
LY 0 #558 2 12,703
SG Girls 0 #577 10 18,916
BH 0 #583 5 17,937
AR Girls 0 #589 11 8,289
IL Girls 0 #639 7 11,648
BO Girls 0 #645 7 9,488
HK Girls 0 #645 6 16,104
IN Girls 0 #654 1 13,121
LB 0 #682 9 13,263
SY 0 #682 47 11,684
Finland Girls 2026 #686 53 3,895
IT 0 #687 28 4,183
BR Girls 0 #694 253 12,708
CO Girls 0 #697 435 16,140
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
CL Boys 0 #700 1 13,390
CL Girls 0 #736 116 14,098
SG Boys 0 #739 1 17,960
Germany Girls 0 #750 89 4,949
MX Girls 0 #751 514 17,781
BR Boys 0 #782 4 12,213
KW Boys 0 #804 3 18,755
NG Girls 0 #822 5 15,093
United States Girls 2024 #838 79 8,487
TN 0 #865 1 13,765
PE Girls 0 #888 56 14,861
SA Girls 0 #897 39 25,931
NL Girls 0 #909 47 5,933
EG Boys 0 #924 2 15,035
Spain Girls 0 #929 55 5,561
EG Girls 0 #939 21 14,742
CO Boys 0 #973 9 15,656
MY Girls 0 #981 14 24,821
MX Boys 0 #1,030 4 16,355
IN Boys 0 #1,032 8 16,750
ZA Girls 0 #1,064 78 25,928
AE Boys 0 #1,137 7 22,615
TR 0 #1,189 23 19,440
MA 0 #1,195 5 20,986
DZ 0 #1,232 3 20,130
ZA Boys 0 #1,270 3 25,619
IT Girls 0 #1,305 142 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,684 8 28,008

Marla is popular in 71 countries — most recent births per country:

Canada
France
Switzerland
United States
Germany

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People also ask about Marla

Marla is predominantly a girl's name.
Marla is a 2 syllable name, pronounced IPA: /ˈmɑːrlə/ — respelling: "MAR-lə".
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Marlene, Marlena, Marlaine, Marlee, Marli and Marlie.
Yes, very popular — Marla ranked #1 in Germany in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 9 countries.
Marla ranks highest in Germany (#1 in 2025).
Marla's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #301 in 2014 to #279 in 2024 in Canada.