Given name & surname
Marlena
Marlena is a feminine given name. It is used in English, Polish, Catalan, and Faroese.
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Marlena is a variant 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 1925. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Marlena through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 11,321
- 0 boys · 11,321 girls
- Most popular year
- 1978
- 470 babies
- 2025
- 56
- #2,983 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −25%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 56 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,983 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 24.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 470 in 1978. In 2025, Pennsylvania had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (9). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 10,496 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.
Marlena’s family of names
In Polish usage, Marlena has a diminutive in MARLENKA. Marlena has a related form in Marlene. In Polish usage, Marlena has a conventional equivalent in the English form Marlene.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Marlena has relatives in 6 languages.
10 related names in 6 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 9
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Marilenaequivalent
- Marlinaequivalent
- Marleenaequivalent
- MarlenneFrench
- MarlaineFrench
- MarjolaineFrench
- MarleyneFrench
- MarlèneFrench
Show 1 moreShow fewer
People named Marlena
- Marlena ShawAmerican female singer (1942–2024)
- Atishi MarlenaIndian politicianborn 1981
- Marlena ZagoniRomanian rower1951–2025
- Marlena KarwackaPolish cyclistborn 1997
- ShazzaPolish singer-actorborn 1967
- Marlena GranaszewskaPolish sprinterborn 1998
- Marlena KowalikGerman footballerborn 1984
- Marlena MalągPolish politicianborn 1964
- Marlena WeshHaitian-American sprinterborn 1991
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Marlena, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Maricela
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war”
>99% girls
Melisa
Melisa is a feminine given name from Greek. It is used in Turkish and Albanian.
>99% girls
Mirna
“one who is much loved”
>99% girls
Salina
“one of a solemn, dignified character”
>99% girls
Maribel
Maribel is used as a given name and a surname. Maribel is connected with Mary.
>99% girls
Malinda
“one who is sweet and gentle”
>99% girls
Alona
“one who is as strong as an oak”
>99% girls
Mandy
“one who is much loved”
>99% girls