Given name
Marleen
Marleen is a feminine given name from Hebrew. It is used in English, German, Dutch, and Estonian.
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
In German use, Marleen has a related form in 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 1926. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Marleen through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,121
- 0 boys · 4,121 girls
- Most popular year
- 1951
- 133 babies
- 2025
- 8
- #11,554 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −9%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 8 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 11,554 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 9.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 133 in 1951. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,875 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.
Marleen’s family of names
In German usage, Marleen has a related form in Marlene. In Dutch usage, Marleen has a conventional equivalent in the English form Marlene. In German usage, Marleen has a related form in Marlene.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Marleen has relatives in 5 languages.
7 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Marleen
- Marleen VeldhuisDutch swimmerborn 1979
- Marleen GorrisDutch writer and director (born 1948)
- Marleen van IerselDutch volleyball playerborn 1988
- Marleen JochemsDutch field hockey playerborn 2000
- Marleen HutchfulGhanaian actress1986–2022
- Marleen LohseGerman actressborn 1984
- Marleen RendersBelgian distance runnerborn 1968
- Marleen TemmermanBelgian politician and obstetricianborn 1953
- Marleen BarthDutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA), trade unionist, and former journalistborn 1964
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Marleen, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Marsha
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war”
>99% girls
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Mariann
Mariann is a feminine given name. It is used in Swedish and Norwegian.
>99% girls
Maureen
Maureen is used as a given name and a surname. Maureen is connected with Mary.
>99% girls
Mala
>99% girls
Marilee
>99% girls
Marilynn
>99% girls
Marylin
>99% girls