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Marlin as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Marlin

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The baby name Marlin is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmɑːrlɪn/ (MAR-lin).

Marlin is English in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: English
Pronunciation: /ˈmɑːrlɪn/ (MAR-lin)

What is the meaning of the name Marlin ?

The baby name Marlin is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmɑːrlɪn/ (MAR-lin).

Marlin is English in Origin.

Marlin is an English given name and surname with layered origins. It can be a variant of Merlin (from Welsh Myrddin, a name of debated meaning often linked to “sea-fort” or “hill-fort”), a transferred surname tied to Middle English merlin “a small falcon,” or a modern nature/nautical choice echoing the billfish marlin, whose name traces to marlinspike (via Dutch marlijn). Because of these strands, meanings associated with Marlin range from “little falcon” to legendary/Arthurian overtones, to maritime imagery.

As a given name in the United States it appears from the late 19th century, found more often for boys and peaking mid-20th century; public figures such as wildlife host Marlin Perkins and press secretary Marlin Fitzwater aided familiarity. It has also surfaced for girls by proximity to Marilyn and Marlene. Variants and related forms include Marlyn, Marlen/Marleen, Marlene, Marlon, and Merlin; spellings like Marlynn and Marlyn are seen.

Marlin has the following similar or variant Names

Marlin – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Germany Boys 2016 #1 — 431
SV Girls 0 #18 1 458
BW 0 #19 1 960
HN 0 #22 1 704
SV Boys 0 #28 1 352
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
PR 0 #55 1 1,497
AL 0 #74 3 2,372
MV Boys 0 #79 1 3,375
AF Girls 0 #94 1 2,402
ID Girls 0 #98 5 3,319
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
BN Girls 0 #113 2 5,459
EC 0 #120 2 2,502
PA 0 #130 9 3,797
ID Boys 0 #133 3 4,130
GR 0 #135 1 3,911
Switzerland Boys 2024 #136 2 1,769
BN Boys 0 #139 1 6,332
CR 0 #162 4 5,526
PR Girls 0 #166 2 3,171
HU Boys 0 #174 1 3,954
Sweden Girls 2018 #187 2 1,665
AE 0 #187 1 10,220
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
AL Girls 0 #226 2 4,141
PS 0 #226 1 5,692
MO Boys 0 #234 1 5,842
NA Girls 0 #236 2 7,146
BD 0 #240 2 5,992
GH 0 #248 1 5,396
GR Girls 0 #248 2 6,293
AO Boys 0 #249 1 5,568
JP Girls 0 #249 3 6,592
NA Boys 0 #251 3 6,830
EC Girls 0 #255 4 3,650
TW Boys 0 #255 2 7,111
GT Girls 0 #256 306 7,500
HR Boys 0 #258 2 3,997
MO Girls 0 #263 1 7,056
GT 0 #269 46 5,948
GR Boys 0 #272 2 6,912
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
JM Girls 0 #278 1 7,507
SG 0 #278 5 11,010
AL Boys 0 #282 17 5,122
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
TW Girls 0 #286 4 8,139
HR Girls 0 #294 1 3,687
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
JP Boys 0 #303 1 7,909
SD Girls 0 #305 41 7,678
Canada Boys 2021 #311 5 2,600
JO Girls 0 #311 15 7,570
SA 0 #311 2 10,560
PE 0 #327 3 6,350
DK Girls 0 #328 2 7,429
CN Boys 0 #330 2 9,639
QA Girls 0 #335 9 15,378
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
PL Boys 0 #339 2 6,459
MY 0 #348 7 12,352
PA Girls 0 #351 135 9,861
HK 0 #357 1 8,483
CN Girls 0 #358 2 8,829
MU Boys 0 #363 7 8,477
PL Girls 0 #363 2 5,096
EG 0 #368 33 6,387
OM Girls 0 #377 20 15,987
NL 0 #381 11 2,481
YE 0 #396 3 8,639
BD Girls 0 #401 6 8,413
BO 0 #403 6 6,868
ZA 0 #405 43 14,421
PH Girls 0 #426 4 13,098
CL 0 #434 1 6,867
MX 0 #440 6 8,339
CO Girls 0 #442 1,113 16,140
Spain 0 #443 10 2,326
GT Boys 0 #448 27 7,625
CO 0 #453 28 7,768
IQ Girls 0 #461 44 11,303
SD Boys 0 #465 2 10,523
PT Girls 0 #469 3 7,952
CR Girls 0 #474 59 11,342
CR Boys 0 #475 13 10,188
KW Girls 0 #492 24 19,177
PA Boys 0 #498 8 9,305
PS Girls 0 #508 16 10,981
RU Girls 0 #517 7 11,913
AE Girls 0 #523 31 20,968
RU Boys 0 #524 3 12,621
UY Girls 0 #533 4 6,731
BH 0 #543 11 17,937
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
LY 0 #554 6 12,703
HK Boys 0 #555 3 12,905
CM Girls 0 #559 2 11,671
PS Boys 0 #561 1 10,655
SG Girls 0 #563 24 18,916
IR Boys 0 #564 2 10,162
BO Girls 0 #568 44 9,488
CM Boys 0 #572 4 12,054
EG Girls 0 #587 420 14,742
AR Girls 0 #590 10 8,289
IL Girls 0 #593 25 11,648
SY 0 #615 114 11,684
BO Boys 0 #617 6 9,244
IL Boys 0 #623 3 10,983
HK Girls 0 #644 7 16,104
LB 0 #644 15 13,263
IN Girls 0 #648 7 13,121
ZA Boys 0 #676 594 25,619
CL Boys 0 #696 5 13,390
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
IT 0 #705 10 4,183
SG Boys 0 #736 4 17,960
QA Boys 0 #743 1 18,093
BR Boys 0 #778 8 12,213
CL Girls 0 #796 56 14,098
KW Boys 0 #803 4 18,755
United States Boys 2024 #812 81 7,044
Germany Girls 0 #812 27 4,949
TN 0 #819 11 13,765
NG Girls 0 #822 5 15,093
PE Girls 0 #847 97 14,861
PE Boys 0 #848 31 14,506
SA Girls 0 #867 69 25,931
NL Girls 0 #869 87 5,933
EG Boys 0 #870 17 15,035
CO Boys 0 #881 40 15,656
MY Girls 0 #904 91 24,821
United States Girls 2024 #907 10 8,487
OM Boys 0 #914 5 17,948
Spain Girls 0 #921 63 5,561
NL Boys 0 #925 27 5,873
Germany Boys 0 #926 27 5,697
MX Boys 0 #952 31 16,355
NG Boys 0 #997 5 16,906
IN Boys 0 #1,037 3 16,750
MX Girls 0 #1,037 147 17,781
MY Boys 0 #1,079 33 25,439
ZA Girls 0 #1,100 42 25,928
MA 0 #1,116 13 20,986
AE Boys 0 #1,138 6 22,615
DZ 0 #1,151 26 20,130
TR 0 #1,194 18 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,379 68 9,415
IT Boys 0 #1,431 41 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,601 14 28,008

Marlin is popular in 77 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
Switzerland
Canada
Sweden
AE

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People also ask about Marlin

Marlin is predominantly a boy's name.
Marlin is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈmɑːrlɪn/ (MAR-lin).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Marlon, Marlyn, Marlynn, Marline, Marleen and Merlin (occasionally conflated).
Across languages, Marlin has these equivalents: Marlon (English/French), Merlin (Welsh, different origin but similar-sounding), Marlin (Spanish — the fish term).
Yes, very popular — Marlin ranked #1 in Germany in 2016, and appears in official birth registries across 5 countries.
Marlin ranks highest in Germany (#1 in 2016).
Marlin's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #811 in 2014 to #812 in 2024 in United States.