Given name & surname
Marilla
“of the shining sea”
Marilla is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “of the shining sea.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “of the shining sea.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Marilla through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 802
- 0 boys · 802 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 27 babies
- 2025
- 13
- #8,167 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +17%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 13 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 8,167 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 16.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 467 as a first name in 2020; 141 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Marilla’s family of names
In English usage, Marilla has a diminutive in Rilla. In English usage, Marilla has a related form in Maria. Marilla has a related form in Marella.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Mariavariant · English
- Marellavariant
- Rilladiminutive · English
- Marellevariant
- Marilisvariant
- Marrillalikely variant
- Marelavariant
- Marillisvariant
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Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Marilla, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Lemon
“resembling the fruit”
>99% girls
Stella
“star of the sea”
>99% girls
Blakely
“from the dark meadow”
1% boys · 99% girls
Winter
“born during the winter season”
6% boys · 94% girls
Poppy
“resembling the red flower”
>99% girls
Harley
“from the meadow of the hares”
20% boys · 80% girls
Wren
“resembling a small songbird”
13% boys · 87% girls
Hallie
“from the hall” · “woman of the sea”
>99% girls