Marlowe - boy or girl or either?

[mamablondie33]

I really like Marlowe for a boy (like the playwright) but I’m seeing it used more and more for girls? Is it considered a ‘girls’ name?

I would say girl

I have only seen it used for girls but I know it's a unisex name.

The playwright was Christopher Marlowe not Marlowe Christopher - ergo it is a surname not a first name. Dreadful burden for a child. I know of someone who named their boys Marley and Mason. Poor children sounded like a firm of builders.

I've never heard of it being used as a first name and associate it with Christopher Marlowe the playwright so I would have assumed it was a boy's name but I'm old and out of touch by the sounds of it.

Dog

I know a boy Marlo (spelt like that).

It's a surname. It is a nice sound but it's not a first name.

Thanks to the people who actually answered my question. I have a phd in literature so well aware this was a surname first.

James, Oliver etc are surnames also. I never get these comments especially when they are uninvited and often just nasty.

I only know a dog named it. I'd guess its a male name.

Town in Buckinghamshire, not a name

I have never heard of it as a first name and would assume it was a boy if I did hear it.

I know a baby Marlowe, a little boy. I don't particularly like the name but think it suits a boy rather than a girl.

I definitely see it as a boys name. It’s on my list but not sure if I’d be brave enough to use it!

Theatre in Canterbury.

I know a girl Marlowe but I think it could be used for a boy too. I like it!

Just makes me think of the Buckinghamshire town to be honest

It's on my list for DS2 OP... I actually prefer the spelling Marlo (DS1 has a name ending in -lo as well) but it's a unisex name in my book that I'm considering for a boy.

@BeastOfBODMAS oh always be brave enough! It’s that or pick a safe name that MN will refer to as ‘lovely/classic/timeless’ and you’ll get bored of. I know which I’d rather personally.

@littleindi oh good, not just me then! Do you mind me asking what else is on your list?

Neither, it's a surname to me.

Marlowe with an E for a girl, Marlow without an E for a boy.

I love it

I like the name for both a boy and a girl but for a boy I'd maybe spell it Marlow or marlo. I wouldn't worry about it being a place or a surname. Kerry , derry and Shannon are all places but acceptable names also. Same with names like keane, Dean etc etc which are surnames and first names.

@mamablondie33 Got a good few weeks to go yet (and I didn't name DS1 til a few days after he was born) so not really a fixed list but I'm enjoying French-sounding names like Beau and Gabriel (Malo is the French spelling)

@AdaColeman this is what I keep reading too but I can’t make myself like the Marlow spelling