The first name Marion
A unisex name from Hebrew.
3 syllables Unisex Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
From Middle English Marion, from Old French Marion, a diminutive of Marie, used in England since the Middle Ages.
A form of Mary.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 7 girls were named Marion, making it the 3,333rd most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2006, with 16 births (#1,502).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Marion with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Marion at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 93 girls born in the United States were named Marion, the 2,044th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1924, when 6,047 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Marion
116 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Marion CotillardFrench actress and model (born 1975)
- Marion BartoliFrench tennis player, born 1984
- Marion JonesAmerican athlete, born 1975
- Marion Zimmer BradleyAmerican novelist and editor (1930–1999)
- Marion MaréchalFrench politician (born 1989)
- Marion DaviesAmerican actress (1897–1961)
- Marion RamseyAmerican actress (1947–2021)
- Marion RungFinnish singer, born 1945
- Marion LeonardAmerican actress (1881–1956)
- Marion Jones FarquharAmerican tennis player (1879–1965)
- Marion Gräfin DönhoffGerman journalist (1909–2002)
- Charles Marion RussellAmerican artist (1864-1926)
More Hebrew unisex names
Questions
- What does the name Marion mean?
- From Middle English Marion, from Old French Marion, a diminutive of Marie, used in England since the Middle Ages.
- What is the origin of the name Marion?
- From Middle English Marion, from Old French Marion, a diminutive of Marie, used in England since the Middle Ages.
- How popular is the name Marion?
- In 2025, 7 girls born in England and Wales were named Marion, ranking 3,333rd. Its peak was 2006, with 16 births.
- Is Marion a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 261,713 US babies named Marion since 1880, 72% were girls and 28% boys.
- When was Marion most popular?
- 1924 in the United States, when 6,047 babies were named Marion, its highest rank at 46th.
- What name is Marion a form of?
- Marion is a form of Mary.
- Is Marion also a surname?
- Yes. Marion is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.