Meaning: Its source is a Hebrew expression meaning "Person from Magdala."

Nicknames: Marlen

Variant Forms: Marlana

Popularity: The name Marlena ranked 1275th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.

Narrative: Magdala was a village on the Sea of Galilee, supposedly the home of the character in the Christian scriptures known as Mary of Magdala, or Mary Magdalene.

Though the town had an unsavory reputation, there is no scriptural support for Mary's identification as a courtesan who forsook her sinful ways to follow Jesus of Nazareth. However, this is her place in Christian tradition, and she stands as a symbol of the redeemable sinner, accepted and forgiven regardless of her sordid past.