Entry № 3638 · English origin

Marley Marley — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ MAR-lee /
Gender
Girl
Origin
English
Meaning
"Pleasant wood, marten meadow"
Syllables
2
Rank · US 2025
№ 287
First recorded
Modern as given name

A name that means "pleasant wood, marten meadow".

Marley comes from an English surname meaning "pleasant wood" or "marten meadow" — from Old English roots. Bob Marley (1945-1981), the Jamaican reggae icon, made the name globally famous.

Marley entered the U.S. top 1000 as a girls' name in 1996 and has been climbing. Today it sits in the U.S. top 300.

Pleasant wood. The reggae icon's surname turned girl's name.

The name in its native script.

Marley
Transliteration
Marley
Pronunciation
/ ˈmɑːr.li /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Marley stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 287 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 247 in 2018
Babies named Marley · last year
1124 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1996
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · №247 NOW · №287

Marleys before her.

Real people
Marley Shelton
American actress.
born 1974
Bob Marley
Jamaican reggae icon (the surname).
1945 – 1981
In fiction
Marley
Yellow Labrador in Marley & Me.
2005 memoir / 2008 film

Names connected to Marley.

The number behind Marley.

1

The Pioneer

Marley reduces to one — the number of free pleasant motion.

Why families chose this name.

"Reggae music played throughout the pregnancy. Marley named her."
Sarah · Mother of one · Kingston