Maryellen Girl

Popularity: #926 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MAIR-ee-el-en //ˈmɛəriˌɛlən//

Origin: English; Irish

Meaning: English: Bitter; Irish: Sea of bitterness

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Maryellen is a compound name formed from the traditional name Mary and the diminutive suffix -ellen, which is derived from the name Ellen. The name Mary has its roots in the Hebrew name Miriam, which is believed to mean "beloved" or "wished-for child." This name was adopted into Greek as Maria and subsequently into Latin as Maria, which became widely used in Christian contexts.

The name Mary is notably associated with the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is a central figure in Christianity, particularly in the New Testament, where she is revered for her role in the Incarnation. The name Mary has been popular in various forms across cultures and languages, influencing many other names and variations over the centuries.

The name Ellen, on the other hand, has its origins in the Greek name Helene, which means "torch" or "light." It became popular in medieval Europe and was often associated with the legendary figure of Helen of Troy, whose beauty was said to have sparked the Trojan War. The combination of Mary and Ellen into Maryellen reflects a trend in the 19th and 20th centuries of creating compound names that blend traditional names with modern sensibilities, often to create a unique identity while retaining historical significance.

Culturally, the name Maryellen carries the weight of both its components. Mary, as a name, has been a symbol of purity and motherhood, while Ellen has connotations of brightness and beauty.

This duality may contribute to the name's appeal, as it encapsulates both strength and grace. The name has been used in various literary and artistic contexts, further embedding it in cultural consciousness.

The combination of these names into Maryellen illustrates a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution and cultural resonance, reflecting the enduring legacy of its roots.

Fictional characters named Maryellen

The following list of fictional characters named Maryellen is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Maryellen is a fictional character from the American Girl franchise. She is a historical character representing the 1950s, known for her adventurous spirit and love of music.

Sibling suggestions

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

ElizabethCatherineMargaretAnneSarahRebecca

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Maryellen. 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.

MarilynMaryannMiriamMelanieMarinaEvelynMadeline

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Maryellen was first seen in the United States in 1891.

Maryellen has ranked as high as #796 nationally, which occurred in 1960, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Maryellen has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Maryellen 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 Maryellen 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 Maryellen.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 22 22
2024 17 17
2023 18 18
2022 29 29
2021 24 24
2020 24 24
2019 17 17
2018 18 18
2017 18 18
2016 26 26
2015 23 23
2014 24 24
2013 25 25
2012 27 27
2011 25 25
2010 28 28
2009 22 22
2008 31 31
2007 22 22
2006 23 23
2005 29 29
2004 34 34
2003 34 34
2002 34 34
2001 34 34
2000 33 33
1999 30 30
1998 31 31
1997 35 35
1996 41 41
1995 35 35
1994 46 46
1993 42 42
1992 43 43
1991 42 42
1990 45 45
1989 51 51
1988 65 65
1987 59 59
1986 62 62
1985 62 62
1984 54 54
1983 65 65
1982 70 70
1981 85 85
1980 75 75
1979 89 89
1978 91 91
1977 91 91
1976 75 75
1975 98 98
1974 72 72
1973 105 105
1972 90 90
1971 106 106
1970 170 170
1969 144 144
1968 153 153
1967 197 197
1966 226 226
1965 265 265
1964 361 361
1963 354 354
1962 381 381
1961 417 417
1960 472 472
1959 373 373
1958 337 337
1957 268 268
1956 254 254
1955 271 271
1954 298 298
1953 254 254
1952 251 251
1951 294 294
1950 259 259
1949 276 276
1948 278 278
1947 308 308
1946 278 278
1945 225 225
1944 276 276
1943 237 237
1942 206 206
1941 201 201
1940 178 178
1939 144 144
1938 106 106
1937 107 107
1936 112 112
1935 109 109
1934 80 80
1933 64 64
1932 75 75
1931 58 58
1930 85 85
1929 60 60
1928 66 66
1927 93 93
1926 78 78
1925 69 69
1924 110 110
1923 103 103
1922 81 81
1921 78 78
1920 71 71
1919 60 60
1918 54 54
1917 58 58
1916 36 36
1915 48 48
1914 26 26
1913 22 22
1912 15 15
1911 19 19
1910 5 5
1909 9 9
1908 14 14
1906 6 6
1904 6 6
1900 12 12
1898 6 6
1895 5 5
1893 5 5
1892 6 6
1891 5 5

Top States for Maryellen (2016)

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
OH 5
100%