Marlo

Marlo - A very unique male name

Marlo appeared on the charts for the first time in 1929 on position #1775. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Marlo and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Marlo? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Marlo. The baby boy name Marlo was given to 55 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1645 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 26,660 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Marlo peaked in popularity 54 years ago in 1972 on position 957.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Marlo, 1-5?

Marlo is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Marlo is currently topping the baby name charts in Missouri at position #842 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,216.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Marlo is where you live.

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Marlo origin and meaning

Modern — origin uncertain

Uncertain — probably from the surname Marlow or Marlowe, or remodelled on Marlon, but no derivation is documented for Marlo itself

Marlo has drifted in American use since 1929 without ever becoming common, and its roots are genuinely unclear — surname, place name and Marlon-shortening theories all circulate without proof. For boys it has risen since 2020 to its highest point in 2023.

Origin uncertain

Marlo is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Marlo, pop culture references for the name Marlo and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Marlo

We've found the following names that sound similar to Marlo, sorted by popularity.

Merle / Merrill / Marley / Merl / Murl / Maurilio / Marlow / Marlowe / Murrell / Mearl /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Marlo

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Marlo a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Marlo?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

MAR-loh · /ˈmɑːrloʊ/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Marlow — Surname and place name it may derive from; also used as a given name.
• Marlowe — Surname spelling in the same family.

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

Surname

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Marlo for a smooth, two-syllable name with a slightly artistic, surname-adjacent feel.

Worth knowing

• It is widely known as a woman's name through Marlo Thomas, so a boy's gender may be misassumed, and it is confused with Marlon.