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Marlowe

♂ Boy

Pronounced MAHR-loh /ˈmɑɹ.loʊ/Medium

Meaning: Remnants of a lakeMedium

In 30 seconds: Marlowe is an English name meaning 'remnants of a lake', rooted in the landscape.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningRemnants of a lake
U.S. rank (2024)#2768 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births47 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2024
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,626

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202419122024

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

History & Origin

Marlowe comes from English and means 'remnants of a lake', the kind of place-based name that began by describing land near drained or leftover water. That geographic origin gives it a settled, place-name character rather than a personal one.

The name carries a literary air and moves in two syllables, MAR-loh, smooth and slightly poetic. Its watery meaning roots it firmly in the English landscape-name tradition.

Did you know? Marlowe likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Marlowe — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Marlowe…

Marley— Shares the Mar- opening and the English place-name feel.
Harlow— Echoes the -low ending and landscape origin.
Marlon— A close-sounding name with the same Mar- start.

Frequently Asked

What does the name Marlowe mean?

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

How do you pronounce Marlowe?

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

Is Marlowe a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Marlowe?

In 2024, Marlowe ranked #2768 in the U.S. for boys, with 47 births recorded.