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Myrlene

♀ Girl

Pronounced mur-LEEN /mɜːrˈliːn/Medium

Meaning: Myrlene reads as a cross of Marlene, a German contraction of Maria and Magdalene made famous by Marlene Dietrich, with vintage Myrtle, from the fragrant myrtle shrub long tied to love and beauty. The Myr- spelling leans toward Myrtle while the -lene ending echoes Marlene.Low

In 30 seconds: Myrlene blends fashionable Marlene with the older Myrtle, joining a Magdalene root to the myrtle plant. It was a thin early-twentieth-century coinage (said mur-LEEN).

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Origin LowAmerican, German

MeaningMyrlene reads as a cross of Marlene, a German contraction of Maria and Magdalene made famous by Marlene Dietrich, with vintage Myrtle, from the fragrant myrtle shrub long tied to love and beauty. The Myr- spelling leans toward Myrtle while the -lene ending echoes Marlene.

U.S. rank (1971)#9181 ↘ Falling

1971 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1932

Total births (all-time)≈ 332

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

Myrlene is best read as a blend of two period names: Marlene, a German shortening of Maria Magdalene carried into fashion by the actress Marlene Dietrich, and Myrtle, the vintage flower name from the myrtle shrub. Coinages that fused -lene endings onto familiar roots were common in the early twentieth century, and Myrlene is one of them, given to only a couple dozen girls a year.

Its small peak fell in the early nineteen-thirties, so a Myrlene from then would be in her nineties now, a great-grandmother name through and through. It has the soft, melodic close shared by Darlene and Charlene, and like them it has stayed firmly in the past rather than reviving.

Did you know? Myrlene sits exactly between two of its era's favorites, borrowing Myrtle's opening and Marlene's glamorous close in a single made-up name.

Overall data confidence 40%

References - Myrlene — Blend of Marlene (Maria Magdalene) and Myrtle; early-1900s coinage

Variations

MarleneMyrtleMerlene

Nicknames

MyrlLene

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Myrlene…

Marlene— a parent name Myrlene blends

Myrtle— the flower name Myrlene's spelling leans on

Darlene— shares the melodic -lene ending

Charlene— another -lene name of the same era

Explore names like Myrlene

By themerare coinage vintage blend

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Myrlene mean?

It is a blend of Marlene, from Maria Magdalene, and Myrtle, the plant name, joining their roots in one coined name.

How do you pronounce Myrlene?

It's said mur-LEEN /mɜːrˈliːn/, two syllables, with the stress on the second.

Is Myrlene a boy or girl name?

Myrlene is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Myrlene?

It has always been rare, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its peak in the early nineteen-thirties.