Marley

Marley is the transferred use of a long-established English surname of Anglo-Saxon origins. Marley was derived from a place name located in several different areas of England. The Olde English elements “mearth” meaning “marten” plus “lēah” meaning “wood clearing” gave birth to the name Marley. A marten is a short-legged, bushy-tailed animal that lives in northern forests and trees. There are several places called Marley in England (e.g., Devon, Kent and West Yorkshire). Alternately, some etymologies believe that Marley is derived from a nickname, from the Olde English word “myrig” meaning “pleasant”. As a surname, Marley dates back to the 12th century. The usage of Marley as a given name (primarily female) began in the United States at the end of the 20th century and was most likely influenced by the reggae musician and Jamaican singer Bob Marley (1945-1981). Later Marley’s popularity as a given name was cemented by a popular book-turned-Hollywood-film called “Marley & Me” (2008). Marley is also sometimes considered a pet form of the name Marlene.