Marilee Girl

Popularity: #935 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MAIR-ee-lee //ˈmɛr.iˌli//

Origin: English; American

Meaning: Combination of Mary and Lee

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Marilee is a modern English name that is believed to be a blend of the names Mary and Lee. The name Mary has its roots in the Hebrew name Miriam, which is thought to mean "beloved" or "wished-for child." This name was adopted into Greek as Maria and subsequently into Latin as Maria, before making its way into Old French and finally into English.

The name Lee, on the other hand, originates from the Old English word "leah," which means "clearing" or "meadow." The combination of these two elements into Marilee reflects a trend in the 20th century of creating new names by merging existing ones, a practice that gained popularity in English-speaking cultures during this time. Historically, the name Mary has been significant in various religious contexts, particularly within Christianity, where Mary is revered as the mother of Jesus Christ.

This association has led to the name's enduring presence across centuries, with numerous saints named Mary and its frequent appearance in biblical texts. The name Lee has also been used in various contexts, including as a surname and given name, often associated with nature and pastoral imagery.

The blending of these names into Marilee can be seen as a reflection of the cultural significance of both components, drawing on their historical roots while creating a fresh identity. Culturally, Marilee may evoke a sense of pastoral beauty and simplicity, owing to its connection with the meanings of its constituent parts.

The name's lyrical quality and harmonious sound contribute to its appeal, suggesting a connection to nature and tranquility. While Marilee itself does not have a long historical record, its components are deeply embedded in the cultural and linguistic history of English-speaking societies, ensuring that the name carries with it a rich tapestry of meanings and associations.

Famous people named Marilee

In this section, you will find notable people named Marilee. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Marilee who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Marilee who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Marilee Talkington is an actress best known for The Last Ship, The Mindy Project, and The Good Doctor.

Marilee McCauley is a writer best known for her contributions to various literary magazines and anthologies.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Marilee, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MarilynMarleneMiriamMelanieMaya

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Marilee. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

MarinaMarlieMireilleMireyaMabelMara

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Marilee was first seen in the United States in 1912.

Marilee has ranked as high as #1007 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in California, Illinois, Washington, Michigan, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Marilee has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Marilee is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Marilee was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Marilee.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 13 13
2024 13 13
2023 15 15
2022 9 9
2021 12 12
2020 5 5
2019 18 18
2018 12 12
2017 14 14
2016 16 16
2015 20 20
2014 14 14
2013 13 13
2012 14 14
2011 14 14
2010 9 9
2009 17 17
2008 17 17
2007 25 25
2006 19 19
2005 17 17
2004 19 19
2003 22 22
2002 23 23
2001 19 19
2000 14 14
1999 15 15
1998 19 19
1997 22 22
1996 25 25
1995 14 14
1994 23 23
1993 24 24
1992 40 40
1991 18 18
1990 28 28
1989 32 32
1988 36 36
1987 39 39
1986 38 38
1985 42 42
1984 38 38
1983 40 40
1982 39 39
1981 41 41
1980 35 35
1979 36 36
1978 38 38
1977 36 36
1976 40 40
1975 43 43
1974 42 42
1973 43 43
1972 46 46
1971 59 59
1970 76 76
1969 62 62
1968 56 56
1967 74 74
1966 83 83
1965 90 90
1964 127 127
1963 145 145
1962 128 128
1961 165 165
1960 165 165
1959 151 151
1958 180 180
1957 196 196
1956 156 156
1955 214 214
1954 210 210
1953 208 208
1952 201 201
1951 157 157
1950 145 145
1949 171 171
1948 190 190
1947 221 221
1946 171 171
1945 155 155
1944 155 155
1943 188 188
1942 192 192
1941 114 114
1940 127 127
1939 105 105
1938 128 128
1937 146 146
1936 88 88
1935 75 75
1934 77 77
1933 50 50
1932 65 65
1931 72 72
1930 80 80
1929 49 49
1928 58 58
1927 54 54
1926 45 45
1925 47 47
1924 53 53
1923 34 34
1922 24 24
1921 28 28
1920 17 17
1919 17 17
1918 13 13
1917 14 14
1916 10 10
1915 12 12
1912 6 6

Top States for Marilee (2019)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 5
100%