The baby name Merlene is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced MER-leen (IPA: /ˈmɜrliːn/).
Merlene is English in Origin.
The baby name Merlene is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced MER-leen (IPA: /ˈmɜrliːn/).
Merlene is English in Origin.
Merlene is a modern English feminine name, usually pronounced mer-LEEN. It likely arose as a streamlined variant of Marlene (German blend of Maria and Magdalene) or as a feminine elaboration of Merle, the French word for “blackbird” (from Latin merula). Depending on the route you prefer, associations range from “blackbird” to “of Magdala” (via Magdalene) and the Marian connotations of Maria, both compressed in Marlene.
The name found modest use in the United States and other English-speaking regions from the 1920s through the 1960s, in step with the fashion for -lene endings. It enjoys special recognition in the Caribbean through Jamaican sprint legend Merlene Ottey, which helped keep the spelling visible. Variant forms include Merline (French/Creole), Merleen, and Marlene; related names are Merle and Marlena, with nicknames such as Lene or Lena. Today Merlene feels vintage and uncommon, offering a soft sound with either avian or biblical overtones.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AO | 0 | #77 | 1 | 2,729 | |
| JM | 0 | #88 | 6 | 3,714 | |
| QA | 0 | #106 | 1 | 7,011 | |
| KW | 0 | #121 | 1 | 5,216 | |
| CR | 0 | #164 | 2 | 5,526 | |
| JM | Girls | 0 | #200 | 60 | 7,507 |
| NA | Girls | 0 | #234 | 4 | 7,146 |
| NA | Boys | 0 | #253 | 1 | 6,830 |
| HR | Boys | 0 | #259 | 1 | 3,997 |
| SG | 0 | #280 | 3 | 11,010 | |
| JM | Boys | 0 | #293 | 1 | 6,876 |
| SA | 0 | #312 | 1 | 10,560 | |
| QA | Girls | 0 | #339 | 5 | 15,378 |
| MY | 0 | #353 | 2 | 12,352 | |
| France | Girls | 1997 | #378 | 3 | 2,302 |
| OM | Girls | 0 | #419 | 6 | 15,987 |
| PH | Girls | 0 | #425 | 5 | 13,098 |
| PT | Girls | 0 | #471 | 1 | 7,952 |
| ZA | 0 | #471 | 4 | 14,421 | |
| PA | Girls | 0 | #518 | 1 | 9,861 |
| RU | Girls | 0 | #523 | 1 | 11,913 |
| IQ | Girls | 0 | #525 | 1 | 11,303 |
| UY | Girls | 0 | #535 | 2 | 6,731 |
| GT | Girls | 0 | #541 | 1 | 7,500 |
| CM | Girls | 0 | #555 | 6 | 11,671 |
| KW | Girls | 0 | #558 | 4 | 19,177 |
| SG | Girls | 0 | #569 | 18 | 18,916 |
| CR | Girls | 0 | #572 | 2 | 11,342 |
| BH | 0 | #587 | 1 | 17,937 | |
| AE | Girls | 0 | #593 | 5 | 20,968 |
| AR | Girls | 0 | #630 | 1 | 8,289 |
| HK | Girls | 0 | #648 | 3 | 16,104 |
| BO | Girls | 0 | #651 | 1 | 9,488 |
| QA | Boys | 0 | #743 | 1 | 18,093 |
| NG | Girls | 0 | #826 | 1 | 15,093 |
| BR | Girls | 0 | #991 | 2 | 12,708 |
| PE | Girls | 0 | #1,007 | 4 | 14,861 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #1,008 | 7 | 25,931 |
| MX | Boys | 0 | #1,033 | 1 | 16,355 |
| MY | Girls | 0 | #1,068 | 5 | 24,821 |
| ZA | Girls | 0 | #1,097 | 45 | 25,928 |
| CO | Girls | 0 | #1,145 | 8 | 16,140 |
| MX | Girls | 0 | #1,263 | 5 | 17,781 |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,271 | 2 | 25,619 |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,691 | 1 | 28,008 |
Merlene is popular in 31 countries — most recent births per country:
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