Marlise is a feminine given name of French origin. It is composed of two elements: "Mar" which means "of the sea" or "sea-born", and "lise" which is derived from the Latin word "laurus" meaning "bay laurel". Thus, Marlise translates to "born of the sea and laurel".
The name Marlise is not particularly common, but it has been used throughout history. One notable figure bearing this name was French writer Marceline Desbordes-Valmore (1786-1859), who often went by her middle name Marlise professionally.
In terms of its popularity as a given name, Marlise has not been widely adopted. According to data from the Social Security Administration in the United States, for example, there were only 24 babies named Marlise between 1879 and 2019, with no instances recorded after 1969.
Despite its rarity, Marlise remains a name of French origin that carries a unique and elegant sound. Its meaning, connected to both the sea and the laurel plant, adds an intriguing layer to this distinctive given name.
The name Marlise has seen a varied range of popularity over the years in the United States. From 1944 to 2020, there have been a total of 364 babies named Marlise.
The years with the highest number of births were 1951 and 1962, each with 11 and 16 births respectively. The name seemed to peak in popularity during the late 1950s to early 1960s before declining throughout the latter half of the century.
Interestingly, the name Marlise has maintained some level of consistency in recent years, with at least five births occurring annually since 2000. This suggests that while it may not be a highly popular name, it is still being chosen by parents for their daughters.
Overall, these statistics show that the name Marlise has had its ups and downs in popularity over the years but continues to be a choice for some parents today.