Kelley vs Marilyn
Kelley and Marilyncompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 1995, Kelley was ranked #296 and Marilyn #516 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 1996, Kelley was ranked #2096 and Marilyn #2683 among girls in England and Wales.
Kelley and Marilyn over time
Kelley and Marilyn appear together in 1 published list, across 11 years of shared records. Kelley held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Marilyn in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Marilyn reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Kelley in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1974–1995
Kelley held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Marilyn in 2.
Highest recorded here: Kelley #242 in 1987, Marilyn #340 in 1974.
The order changed in 1987: Kelley moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #414 and #414; by 1987 that had become #242 and #488.
Most recent shared year, 1995: Kelley #296, Marilyn #516.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Kelley | Marilyn |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #4527 (2009) | England and Wales · Girls #1541 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Kelley has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Marilyn.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Kelley
Popularity journey
First recorded1974
First recorded at #428 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1974 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1974–2003
Highest recorded position: #242 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1987 (recorded 1974–2003).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2009
Most recently recorded at #4527 among boys in England and Wales, in 2009.
England and Wales · Boys
Marilyn
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1956
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1956).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1541 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls