Marlo

♂ Boy

Pronounced MAR-loh /ˈmɑɹ.loʊ/High

Meaning: From the surname/place name Marlow, Old English for 'land remaining after the draining of a lake'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Marlo comes from the surname and place name Marlow, Old English for 'land remaining after the draining of a lake'.

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningFrom the surname/place name Marlow, Old English for 'land remaining after the draining of a lake'.

U.S. rank (2025)#1720 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births95 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2023

Total births (all-time)≈ 3,678

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

The name traces to Marlow, an Old English place name describing land left behind when a lake was drained. From that geography it became a surname and then a given name for boys. Its journey is from a spot on the map to a personal name, with the landscape sense quietly behind it. The actress and activist Marlo Thomas, born in 1937, helped make the name familiar.

Marlo has an easy, rounded two-syllable sound that feels current and unisex. It sits close to the fuller spelling Marlowe and the feminine form Marla.

Did you know? Marlo is a spelling variant of Marlowe, so it keeps the same core meaning of 'remnants of a lake' while changing the visual style.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Marlo — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

MarloweMarla

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Marlo Thomas (1937-present)
American actress, producer, and activist known for the TV series 'That Girl' and as the creator of the children's project 'Free to Be... You and Me'.

If you like Marlo…

Marlowe— A fuller spelling of the same name, listed in Marlo's variations.

Marla— The feminine form sharing Marlo's root, named in its variations.

Marlon— Shares the Mar-l opening and a similar smooth sound.

Harlow— Another Old English place-name-turned-given-name with the -low ending.

Explore names like Marlo

By themeenglish

By meaningSea / Water

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Marlo mean?

Marlo is usually explained as meaning 'remnants of a lake' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Marlo?

It's commonly said MAR-loh /ˈmɑɹ.loʊ/.

Is Marlo a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Marlo is used as a boy name.

How popular is Marlo?

In 2024, Marlo ranked #1689 in the U.S. for boys, with 99 births recorded.