Marion means bitter or beloved — from the French, a medieval diminutive of Marie/Mary. Maid Marion is Robin Hood's great love. Indiana Jones's real name is Henry Jones Jr — Marion is his mother's name. Marion Cotillard won the Oscar. Three syllables of Robin Hood's love, Indiana Jones's mother, and the Oscar winner who IS French cinema.
Marion is a French diminutive of Marie/Mary meaning bitter or beloved. Maid Marion is Robin Hood's love. Indiana Jones's mother is Marion. Marion Cotillard won the Oscar.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: Medieval French; Maid Marion (Robin Hood).
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Today
Marion remains a beloved choice, ranking #1642 in the US. 261,565 babies have been named Marion since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, SSA data
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How popular is Marion?
1924peak year
Marion has settled into a steady rhythm — neither rising sharply nor fading, holding a consistent place in U.S. birth records. It currently ranks well outside the top 1,000 (around #1642), with about 196 babies named Marion each year. In 1924, 6,047 babies were named Marion (ranked #46 nationally). Total registrations across all years since 1880: roughly 261,565.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Marion's Life Path 6 is the nurturer's number — Robin-Hood nurturing. People named Marion tend to be warm, French, and gifted at being both Robin Hood's love and Indiana Jones's mother.
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