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Marlowe vs Oakley

Which is more popular?
Oakley is more popular than Marlowe today: about 1,933 US babies were given the name Oakley in 2025, compared with 575 named Marlowe.
MarloweOakley
Meaning remnants of a drained lake (place name) oak clearing or meadow
Origin english english
Gender Unisex Unisex
Pronunciation MAR-loh OHK-lee
Syllables 2 2
First appeared19181913
Peak year2025 (575)2025 (1,933)
In 20255751,933
TrendNear its peakNear its peak
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Marlowe Oakley
192019401960198020002020

Source: US Social Security Administration.

Births by decade

DecadeMarloweOakley
2020s 2,327 10,227
2010s 1,872 4,472
2000s 250 464
1990s 77 124
1980s 68 11
1970s 68 0
1960s 35 0
1950s 6 0
1940s 38 0
1930s 33 0
1920s 25 35
1910s 6 27

What does Marlowe mean?

An English habitational surname from Marlow in Buckinghamshire, from Old English 'mere' (lake, pool) + 'laf' (remnants, leavings), i.e. marshy ground left after a lake was drained. Often loosely glossed 'driftwood'. It also recalls the Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe.

What does Oakley mean?

A surname and place name from Old English 'ac' (oak) + 'leah' (woodland clearing or meadow), so literally 'the oak clearing'. It names numerous English villages (in Bedfordshire, Hampshire, Kent and elsewhere) and only became common as a given name recently.

Frequently asked questions

Is Marlowe or Oakley more popular?

Oakley is more popular than Marlowe today: about 1,933 US babies were given the name Oakley in 2025, compared with 575 named Marlowe.

What is the difference between Marlowe and Oakley?

Marlowe means remnants of a drained lake (place name) (english origin), while Oakley means oak clearing or meadow (english origin).

Which name is older, Marlowe or Oakley?

In US records, Marlowe first appears in 1918 and Oakley in 1913, so Oakley has the longer recorded history.