Marli

Updated: July 13, 2022 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Marli is one of many alternative spellings of the baby name Marley. While Marli isn't too common, Marley currently sits at number 215 on the list of the top 1,000 baby names for girls in the United States, so we expect other spellings to become more popular in the near future. However you spell it, Marli evokes images of everyone from a certain musician to a special dog, both of whom can be considered pop culture icons.

Meaning of the name Marli:

English: Wood clearing or meadow, marten, pleasant

Origin of the name Marli:

Marli is one of several alternative spellings of Marley. Marley is an English surname that has turned into a given name over the last few decades. It's also a common place name in England. The name is thought to be made up of the elements “mearth,” which means “marten,” and “leah,” which means “wood clearing” or “meadow.” Martens are small mammals, so the name was most likely used to describe a meadow or wood clearing where martens lived. There is also some thought that the name is derived from the Old English word “myrig,” which means “pleasant.”

Symbolism of the name Marli:

Marli's meaning alone doesn't offer much symbolism. New parents who believe in the “pleasant” theory may choose in hopes that their baby girl grows up to become a pleasant person. However, many people will associate the name with the late musician Bob Marley or the canine hero of the book and movie “Marley and Me.”