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I work in a long-term facility and I've come across several women with this name. I'm in North Dakota. It's normally spelled this way. All the women are 70-90.
It's a submitted name, but there is little information on it. I also did a search on this board, the only information that came up was that it might be Filipino. Considering that ND - at that time - was almost exclusively Scandinavian and German, it seems unlikely. I know, however, that Juanita was also popular at the time and I've bumped into two Bonitas, I suppose it's not out of the question.
It's a submitted name, but there is little information on it. I also did a search on this board, the only information that came up was that it might be Filipino. Considering that ND - at that time - was almost exclusively Scandinavian and German, it seems unlikely. I know, however, that Juanita was also popular at the time and I've bumped into two Bonitas, I suppose it's not out of the question.
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Replies
In your case, Marlys is likely an anglicisation of the Dutch/German names Marlies and Marlis, especially if the pronunciation is virtually the same (though the stress may be placed differently in English).
The aforementioned names are currently also in use in Scandinavia, though they are rare there:
• Marlies: https://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Marlies (in English)
• Marlis: https://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Marlis (in English)
Also, I'm from the Netherlands. :) I checked whether Marlys is also used here and in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of neighbouring Belgium), and it turns out that it is! It is extremely rare, however:
• Belgium: http://www.names.be/meisjesnamen.html?met=Marlys&sort=beldesc (in Dutch; shows the prevalence of the name in 2009)
• Netherlands: https://www.meertens.knaw.nl/nvb/naam/is/Marlys (in Dutch; shows the prevalence of the name in 2017)
Marlys would be pronounced the same as Marlies here. I also think that the average Dutch person would be inclined to see Marlys as a creative but unusual spelling of Marlies. They would describe it as: "Marlies, but with a Greek [letter] 'y'."
Lastly, one of my maternal grandmother's sisters happens to be named Marlis. She (as does the rest of our family, of course) pronounces her name as mahr-LIS. As you can see, the -ee- sound (that is present in Marlies) is absent there.
The aforementioned names are currently also in use in Scandinavia, though they are rare there:
• Marlies: https://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Marlies (in English)
• Marlis: https://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Marlis (in English)
Also, I'm from the Netherlands. :) I checked whether Marlys is also used here and in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of neighbouring Belgium), and it turns out that it is! It is extremely rare, however:
• Belgium: http://www.names.be/meisjesnamen.html?met=Marlys&sort=beldesc (in Dutch; shows the prevalence of the name in 2009)
• Netherlands: https://www.meertens.knaw.nl/nvb/naam/is/Marlys (in Dutch; shows the prevalence of the name in 2017)
Marlys would be pronounced the same as Marlies here. I also think that the average Dutch person would be inclined to see Marlys as a creative but unusual spelling of Marlies. They would describe it as: "Marlies, but with a Greek [letter] 'y'."
Lastly, one of my maternal grandmother's sisters happens to be named Marlis. She (as does the rest of our family, of course) pronounces her name as mahr-LIS. As you can see, the -ee- sound (that is present in Marlies) is absent there.
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Thank you so much for all the information!
I suspect CKE is correct and the spelling was influenced by Gladys.
It's a ubiquitous name around here, but I've never really heard it outside the midwest. It's like how Lynn is still somewhat common as a male name for middle-aged men and middle names for younger men.
I suspect CKE is correct and the spelling was influenced by Gladys.
It's a ubiquitous name around here, but I've never really heard it outside the midwest. It's like how Lynn is still somewhat common as a male name for middle-aged men and middle names for younger men.
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Marlys was among the top 1000 names on the Social Security list between 1921 and 1956.
This is highly unlikely to have gotten to North Dakota from the Philippines. This is the sort of name which would have been independently reinvented as a combination of popular sounds or syllables in many different places. I have two given name dictionaries from Germany which both include Marlis, explained as a blend of Maria with Luise or Elisabeth. This could have come to the USA with immigrants, and been respelled as Marlys under the influence of names like Gladys and the well-known French phrase "Fleur de Lys".
I wouldn't be surprised if there was some fictional character in a novel with the name Marlys that helped it get established in the 1920s, though I haven't found an example of that yet.
This is highly unlikely to have gotten to North Dakota from the Philippines. This is the sort of name which would have been independently reinvented as a combination of popular sounds or syllables in many different places. I have two given name dictionaries from Germany which both include Marlis, explained as a blend of Maria with Luise or Elisabeth. This could have come to the USA with immigrants, and been respelled as Marlys under the influence of names like Gladys and the well-known French phrase "Fleur de Lys".
I wouldn't be surprised if there was some fictional character in a novel with the name Marlys that helped it get established in the 1920s, though I haven't found an example of that yet.
This message was edited 1/31/2023, 8:08 PM
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Thanks for the information. I've only heard the name in this area, I didn't ever hear it on the East coast. And by East Coast I mean Washington dc, I forget that the Midwest refers to Maine to North Carolina as the East Coast.
I wonder if there wasn't a singer of some sort.
I wonder if there wasn't a singer of some sort.
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