Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
In English use, Marla is a form of Marlene. An origin associated with Marlene is German.
Explained through its name family
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
Marla through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 38,819
- 38 boys · 38,781 girls
- Most popular year
- 1955
- 1,730 babies
- 2025
- 92
- #2,055 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +19%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 92 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,055 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 19.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,725 in 1955. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (12). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 36,374 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.
Marla’s family of names
Marla has a related form in Marlene. Marla is a form of Marlene.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Marla
- Marla MaplesAmerican actress and TV personality (born 1963)
- Marla Gibbsactress, entertainer, singer, writer, and producer (born 1931)
- Marla SokoloffAmerican actressborn 1980
- Marla AdamsAmerican actress (1938–2024)
- Marla EnglishAmerican film actress (1935-2012)
- Marla RunyanBlind paralympics competitor, Athletics competitor, long distance runner, heptathlete, sprinter, jumper, throwerborn 1969
- Marla GlenGerman singerborn 1960
- Marla HeasleyAmerican Film/TV actressborn 1959
- Marla FrazeeAmerican writer and illustratorborn 1958
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Marla, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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4% boys · 96% girls
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Marsha
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war”
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Marcia
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>99% girls
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“a rebellious woman”
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Minerva
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