Marcel first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Marcel has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Marcel

A French masculine name derived from Mars, the Roman god of war.

Popularity of Marcel by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Marcel is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 98% of people named Marcel being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 341 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Marcel.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 341 0
2022 412 0
2021 386 0
2020 372 0
2019 310 0
2018 324 0
2017 315 0
2016 316 0
2015 308 5
2014 264 0
2013 275 0
2012 238 0
2011 256 0
2010 255 5
2009 234 5
2008 260 0
2007 248 0
2006 198 6
2005 238 5
2004 212 0
2003 227 5
2002 195 5
2001 214 6
2000 226 5
1999 273 7
1998 259 9
1997 250 6
1996 276 0
1995 253 5
1994 265 10
1993 262 10
1992 336 11
1991 292 6
1990 327 11
1989 279 5
1988 278 14
1987 233 10
1986 248 10
1985 201 12
1984 191 12
1983 206 6
1982 151 0
1981 176 8
1980 176 10
1979 160 20
1978 135 9
1977 173 12
1976 167 8
1975 183 14
1974 151 11

The history of the first name Marcel

The name Marcel originated from the Roman name Marcellus, a masculine diminutive of the name Marcus. Marcus was derived from the word "mar," meaning male or masculine in the ancient Oscan language spoken in southern Italy. The name Marcellus was borne by various ancient Roman figures, including Marcus Claudius Marcellus, a famous Roman consul and general who lived from 268 to 208 BC.

Marcellus became a popular name among early Christians, who often Latinized their names. One of the earliest recorded examples is Saint Marcellus I, who served as Pope from 308 to 309 AD. Another notable bearer was Marcellus of Tangier, a Christian martyr executed in 298 AD under the Roman emperor Diocletian.

In medieval France, the name evolved into the French form Marcel. This variant gained popularity during the Middle Ages, with one of the earliest recorded examples being Marcel, a Benedictine monk and historian who lived in the 11th century. Another early bearer was Marcel, a prominent French theologian and Chancellor of the University of Paris in the 13th century.

During the Renaissance and Early Modern periods, several notable individuals bore the name Marcel. These include Marcel Lefebvre (1605-1675), a French Catholic theologian and founder of the Congregation of the Christian Doctrine, and Marcel Dancourt (1661-1725), a French playwright known for his comedies.

In the 19th century, Marcel Proust (1871-1922) was a renowned French novelist and critic, best known for his influential novel "In Search of Lost Time." Another famous bearer was Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968), a French-American artist whose works significantly influenced the development of modern art.

Other notable individuals named Marcel include Marcel Pagnol (1895-1974), a French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker; Marcel Marceau (1923-2007), a French actor and mime artist; and Marcel Hirscher (born 1989), an Austrian former World Cup alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Marcel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Marcel, please contact us.

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"Marcel first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 18, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/marcel-meaning-and-history/.

"Marcel first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/marcel-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 18 October, 2024

Marcel first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/marcel-meaning-and-history/.

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