Marilyn

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A female given name commonly associated with American culture and famous personalities, notably an iconic actress and model; it may also refer to individuals bearing the name in various fields
2. A proper noun used as a personal name primarily for women, linked historically to a celebrated film star symbolizing glamour and fame; it represents identity in both real and fictional contexts
3. A distinctive feminine name of English origin, recognized for its association with celebrity and cultural legacy; used to identify women in social, artistic, and public domains

Etymology: Marilyn is a name that was built from two others, and its most famous bearer had little to do with its invention. The name blends "Mary" and "Lynn," a twentieth-century combination that gave parents a fresh feminine name with a familiar sound. The name's public identity was shaped by Marilyn Monroe, the film actress whose fame made the name a byword for glamour and celebrity. Her presence was so strong that the name became closely linked with her image in the popular mind. A second, playful sense grew out of her name. Scottish mountaineers have long called any peak over 3,000 feet a "Munro," after Sir Hugh Munro, who compiled the list of such summits. Because the words sound alike, "Marilyn" was used as a pun on "Munro," meaning any Scottish mountain taller than 3,000 feet.