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Home › Baby Names Directory › Marilla

Marilla

♀ Girl

Pronounced muh-RIL-uh /məˈrɪl.ə/High

Meaning: A Mary name, or a form of Amaryllis (uncertain)Medium

In 30 seconds: A gentle vintage name linked either to Mary or to the sparkling Amaryllis — its exact root is happily uncertain.
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Origin MediumLatin, Hebrew
MeaningA Mary name, or a form of Amaryllis (uncertain)
U.S. rank (2024)#10752 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births9 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 789

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202218802024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Marilla's origin is genuinely debated: it may be an elaboration of Mary (from Hebrew Miriam) or a contracted form of Amaryllis, Greek for 'to sparkle'.

A warm 19th-century American name, Marilla was revived by readers of L. M. Montgomery and prized for its soft, old-fashioned charm.

Did you know? The name is best loved through Marilla Cuthbert in Anne of Green Gables (1908), though real Marillas lived well before the novel.
Overall data confidence 70%
Behind the Name — Marilla — disputed Mary/Amaryllis origin

Variations

Marila

Nicknames

MariRilla

Famous Bearers

  • ★Marilla Ricker (1840–1920)
    American suffragist, freethinker, and New Hampshire's first woman lawyer.

If you like Marilla…

Amaryllis— one proposed root of Marilla
Mary— the other proposed root of Marilla
Mirabel— a vintage name with the same soft '-il-' music
Matilda— a fellow old-fashioned three-beat girls' name

Explore names like Marilla

By themevintageliterary

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Marilla mean?

Marilla is of Latin origin and means 'a name linked to Mary, or to Amaryllis'.

How do you pronounce Marilla?

It's said muh-RIL-uh /məˈrɪl.ə/.

Is Marilla a boy or girl name?

Marilla is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Marilla?

Marilla is a rare, vintage name in the U.S..

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