Marlene

Meaning of Marlene

Marlene is a combination of the names Maria and Magdalene. It often means "star of the sea" or "bitter."

Marlene has German roots — browse every German baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Marlene

After ranking as high as #485 in 2004, Marlene has fallen out of the US top 1,000 as of 2025.

Notable people named Marlene

• Marlene Dietrich
  German-American actress and singer
• Marlène Jobert
  French actress and author
• Marlene Dumas
  South African artist
• Marlene Mourreau
  Spanish actress and showgirl
• Marlene van Niekerk
  South African writer

More German names

Questions about the name Marlene

What does the name Marlene mean?

Marlene means marlene is a combination of the names maria and magdalene. it often means "star of the sea" or "bitter.", and it comes from German origins.

Is Marlene a boy's or a girl's name?

Marlene is most commonly used as a girl's name in the United States.

How popular is the name Marlene?

Marlene did not appear in the top 1,000 baby names in 2025, which makes it a genuinely uncommon pick.

When was Marlene most popular?

Marlene peaked at #485 in 2004.