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Sable vs Marlowe

Which is more popular?
Marlowe is more popular than Sable today: about 575 US babies were given the name Marlowe in 2025, compared with 0 named Sable.
SableMarlowe
Meaning black remnants of a drained lake (place name)
Origin english english
Gender Unisex Unisex
Pronunciation SAY-buhl MAR-loh
Syllables 2 2
First appeared01918
Peak year1986 (181)2025 (575)
In 20250575
TrendVintageNear its peak
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Sable Marlowe
192019401960198020002020

Source: US Social Security Administration.

Births by decade

DecadeSableMarlowe
2020s 197 2,327
2010s 175 1,872
2000s 221 250
1990s 503 77
1980s 560 68
1970s 0 68
1960s 0 35
1950s 12 6
1940s 11 38
1930s 12 33
1920s 11 25
1910s 0 6

What does Sable mean?

A word-name from 'sable', which in heraldry denotes the colour black; derived via Old French from the dark-furred sable marten. Note: a vocabulary name, with the 'black' meaning coming from the heraldic term.

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.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sable or Marlowe more popular?

Marlowe is more popular than Sable today: about 575 US babies were given the name Marlowe in 2025, compared with 0 named Sable.

What is the difference between Sable and Marlowe?

Sable means black (english origin), while Marlowe means remnants of a drained lake (place name) (english origin).

Which name is older, Sable or Marlowe?

In US records, Sable first appears in 0 and Marlowe in 1918, so Sable has the longer recorded history.