Marcelene
A feminine name derived from Marcel, meaning "little warrior" in French.
Name Census estimates that about 322 living Americans carry the first name Marcelene. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Marcelene today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Marcelene births was 1928 (49 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Marcelene. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Marcelene is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Marcelenes were born before 1969.
People living today
322
~ 1 in 1,064,454 Americans
Peak year
1928
49 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,571
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Marcelene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Marcelene from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 260 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marcelene by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Marcelene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Marcelenes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Marcelene
The name Marcelene is derived from the Latin name Marcellinus, which is a diminutive form of the Roman name Marcellus. Marcellus was a common Roman family name, likely derived from the Latin word "marcere," meaning "to be withered or faded." The name Marcellinus emerged as a popular name among early Christians, with several early saints bearing this name.
In the Middle Ages, the name Marcellinus evolved into various forms across different European languages, including the French form Marcelin and the English form Marcellina. The feminine form Marcelene likely emerged as a variant of these names, with the addition of the -e ending common in French feminine names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marcelene can be found in the 12th century, with Marcelene of Arles, a Benedictine nun and abbess of the monastery of St. Cesarius in Arles, France. She lived from around 1090 to 1160 and was known for her piety and dedication to her religious order.
Another notable figure named Marcelene was Marcelene Desbordes-Valmore, a French Romantic poet who lived from 1786 to 1859. She was acclaimed for her lyrical poetry and her exploration of themes related to love, nature, and the human condition.
In the 19th century, Marcelene Delbarre-Blaine was a French novelist and playwright who wrote under the pen name Marcelene Desbordes-Valmore. She lived from 1813 to 1887 and contributed to the development of the French literary scene during her lifetime.
Marcelene Cox was an American author and educator who lived from 1903 to 1973. She wrote several books on children's literature and was a pioneering figure in the field of early childhood education.
Marcelene Hutton was a Canadian actress and dancer who was active in the mid-20th century. Born in 1918, she performed on Broadway and in Hollywood films, often playing comedic roles that showcased her talents as a dancer and comedienne.
While the name Marcelene has its roots in Latin and early Christian traditions, it has been adapted and used across various cultures and historical periods, with notable individuals bearing this name contributing to literature, arts, and education throughout history.
People
Marcelene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Marcelene as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Marcelene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Marcelene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 322 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Marcelene going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,064,454 US residents.
Is Marcelene a common name?
We classify Marcelene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 930 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Marcelene most popular?
The single biggest year for Marcelene was 1928, when 49 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Marcelene is about 67 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Marcelene a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Marcelene in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.