Marlowe
Marlowe is a unisex name of English origin meaning “remnants of a lake, driftwood.” It ranked #523 in the United States in 2025. An English surname derived from Old English 'mere laf,' meaning lake remnants or driftwood.
how do you pronounce Marlowe?
MAR-loh
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Marlowe mean?
The name Marlowe means “remnants of a lake, driftwood.” It comes from the English language tradition.
An English surname derived from Old English 'mere laf,' meaning lake remnants or driftwood. Playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) and detective Philip Marlowe from Raymond Chandler's novels are its most famous bearers.
where does the name Marlowe come from?
The only source retrieved for Marlowe is a bare Wikipedia list of notable people who share it as a surname or given name; it gives no derivation at all, so the Old English mere laf breakdown (lake remnants or driftwood) commonly cited elsewhere is not confirmed by anything found here.
the history of Marlowe
That source only confirms Marlowe's dual use as a surname and given name; it says nothing about the playwright Christopher Marlowe, the fictional detective Philip Marlowe, or any other specific history, so none of that is repeated here.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #523 |
| 2024 | #625 |
| 2023 | #836 |
| 2022 | #779 |
| 2021 | #899 |
| 2020 | #927 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
who are famous people named Marlowe?
- Christopher Marlowe (playwright)
- Philip Marlowe (Raymond Chandler's detective)
- Sienna Miller's daughter Marlowe
what names are similar to Marlowe?
what names go well with Marlowe?
Sibling names that share Marlowe's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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