Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Marilee isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1912. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Marilee through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 7,434
- 0 boys · 7,434 girls
- Most popular year
- 1947
- 221 babies
- 2025
- 13
- #8,166 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −5%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 13 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 8,166 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 4.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 221 in 1947. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,704 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Marilee’s family of names
Marilee has a related form in Marilyn.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
Similar names
If you love Marilee, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Maryalice
>99% girls
Marilynn
>99% girls
Marylin
>99% girls
Marylou
“star of the sea” · “from the sea of bitterness”
>99% girls
Annelle
>99% girls
Marleen
Marleen is a feminine given name from Hebrew. It is used in English, German, Dutch, and Estonian.
>99% girls
Marita
“star of the sea” · “from the sea of bitterness”
>99% girls
Mickie
“who is like God?”
5% boys · 95% girls