Marilou

A girl's name of French origin with 3,231 recorded U.S. births.

Girl's name#11730 in 2024Rising

Meaning & Origin

A female given name from French.

Marilou is a girl's baby name of French origin, a compound of Marie (Mary, meaning 'beloved') and Louise (from Ludwig, meaning 'famous warrior'), combining two classic French feminine names.

Marilou has the warm, breezy charm of French compound names from the mid-20th century. It's particularly popular in Quebec and Louisiana French-speaking communities. With over 3,200 recorded U.S. births, it has genuine historical presence in American naming records.

EtymologyShow more

Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Marilou is rooted in the French tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1915 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.

Marilou’s 3,231 recorded births suggest it has found a niche — possibly within a specific cultural community, region, or naming subculture within the broader American landscape.

At a Glance

3,231

Total births

Since 1915

1948

Peak

90 births

1915

First recorded

110 years of data

Compare Marilou with another name

Popularity Over Time

Marilou climbed 607 spots in the last 20 years — from #12337 to #11730.

First appeared: 1915Peak: 1948 (90 births)Current: #11730

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Marilou
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	32	#14332	▼
2010s	43	#15874	—
2000s	47	#12810	▼
1990s	81	#10776	▼
1980s	106	#6677	▼
1970s	143	#4736	▼
1960s	295	#2528	▼
1950s	697	#1224	—
1940s	729	#948	▲
1930s	618	#900	▲
1920s	376	#1757	▲
1910s	64	#2780	—

The Story of Marilou

A Baby Boomer name

Peaking in 1948, Marilou is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Girls named Marilou are most likely born between 1938 and 1958.

How rare is Marilou?

Only about 1 in every 450,000 babies born in 2024 was named Marilou — a truly uncommon choice.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1915, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1940s with 729 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.

Marilou by the numbers

Would fill 67 school buses
Meeting one Marilou per day would take 8.9 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(101 years, 1915–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Marilou
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	8	#11730	+2 (33.3%)
2023	6	#14525	+1 (20.0%)
2022	5	#16838	0
2021	5	#16816	-3 (-37.5%)
2020	8	#11750	+3 (60.0%)
2019	5	#17114	-4 (-44.4%)
2018	9	#11116	+4 (80.0%)
2017	5	#17511	0
2016	5	#17901	-3 (-37.5%)
2013	8	#12741	+2 (33.3%)
2012	6	#16183	+1 (20.0%)
2011	5	#18553	-3 (-37.5%)
2008	8	#13364	+2 (33.3%)
2007	6	#16827	-2 (-25.0%)
2004	8	#12337	-2 (-20.0%)
2002	10	#9982	+3 (42.9%)
2001	7	#12942	-1 (-12.5%)
2000	8	#11408	+3 (60.0%)
1999	5	#15944	-1 (-16.7%)
1998	6	#13499	+1 (20.0%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Marilou is primarily a girl's name.

When was Marilou most popular?

Marilou reached its peak popularity in 1948 with 90 births that year. It is currently ranked #11730 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Marilou?

Marilou is currently ranked #11730 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 3,231 babies since 1915.

Explore More

By Length7-letter names By OriginFrench names By EndingNames in -u TrendingRising names RankingsFull rankings

Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1915–2024