# The Origins of Marlene As A Name

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-marlene-as-a-name/736568>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 3, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-marlene-as-a-name/736568 "2015-11-03T23:35:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-marlene-as-a-name/736568/1 "2015-11-03T23:35:54Z")

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A friend of a friend who grew up in the Soviet Union claims that the name “Marlene” (as in Dietrich) was originally a sloppy portmanteau version of Marx+Engels and promoted as such by the authortities.

Instinctively, this seem very unlikely. Surely a folk etymology? Though one does find [websites](http://stalinsmoustache.org/tag/childrens-names/) pushing it. So what is the truth?

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**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-marlene-as-a-name/736568/2 "2015-11-03T23:42:41Z")

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This ought to be in GQ. Move it.

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**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-marlene-as-a-name/736568/3 "2015-11-03T23:52:46Z")

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Actually, a portmanteau for **Mar** y Magda **lene**

> **[Meaning, origin and history of the name Marlene](https://www.behindthename.com/name/marlene)**
>
> The meaning, origin and history of the given name Marlene

[http://names.mooseroots.com/l/174126/Marlene](http://names.mooseroots.com/l/174126/Marlene)

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**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-marlene-as-a-name/736568/4 "2015-11-03T23:55:15Z")

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It seems unlikely, given that Dietrich’s actual given names were **Mar** ie Magda **lene** , which obviously lends itself to portmanteuing to ‘Marlene’ quite easily.

BTW, your link says 'Marx and **Lenin’** , not ‘Marx and Engels’ and obviously isn’t meant to seriously be a list of people who’s names were inspired by these men, since it includes folks like Lizst (1811 - 1886!)

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-marlene-as-a-name/736568/5 "2015-11-04T18:15:19Z")

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> [@bonzer](#):
>
> This ought to be in GQ. Move it.

Done.