← All names

Marlow

Girl / Boy name · 13 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Marlow: 13 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 4 births in 2025.

Marlow has two distinct origins, but for English speakers it is most familiar as a surname turned first name, derived from an Old English place name meaning “remnants of a lake” or “drained lake,” referring to the town of Marlow in Buckinghamshire. As a given name, it gained literary prestige through the tragically short-lived Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe, author of *Doctor Faustus*. The name also calls to mind the river Thames-side town of Marlow, which shares that etymological root. More recently, it has become a stylish unisex choice in Scotland, popularised by celebrities such as actress Marlow Barkley (from *Spirited*) and the character Marlow in the film *The Lost City of Z*. Notably, it shares phonetic ground with the more traditional Scottish name Murdo, though they are unrelated in origin.