Marlyn is a unique and captivating given name of American origin. It was popularized by the renowned actress and singer, Marilyn Monroe, whose full name was actually Norma Jeane Mortenson but she professionally adopted the stage name of Marilyn Monroe. The name Marlyn shares its root with the classic English name Mary, which means "bitter sea" or "rebellious lady." However, it is important to note that Marlyn is not a traditional variation of Mary and stands on its own as an independent given name.
"Marlyn experienced peak popularity between the early 1920s and late 1930s with over 80 births annually during this period. However, it has since become quite rare, with only a handful of babies named Marlyn born each year since the 1940s."