Marshelia
A feminine name of unclear origin, potentially combining elements meaning "marsh" and "protector".
Name Census estimates that about 27 living Americans carry the first name Marshelia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Marshelia today is around 65 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Marshelia births was 1957 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Marshelia. 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 Marshelia is about 65 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Marshelias were born before 1971.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Marshelia. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
27
~ 1 in 12,694,605 Americans
Peak year
1957
18 babies that year
Average age
65
years old
1971 SSA rank
#9,110
Tracked since 1957
Popularity
Marshelia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Marshelia from the 1950s through to the 1970s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 24 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marshelia 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 Marshelia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Marshelias live
Origin
Meaning and history of Marshelia
The given name Marshelia is believed to have its origins in the ancient Mesopotamian civilization, which flourished around the region of modern-day Iraq between the 4th and 3rd millennia BCE. It is derived from the Sumerian words "mar-shel-ia," which translate roughly to "child of the heavens" or "celestial offspring."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marshelia can be found in cuneiform inscriptions from the city of Ur, dating back to around 2500 BCE. These inscriptions suggest that Marshelia was the name of a high priestess in the temple of the moon god Nanna, indicating the name's religious and spiritual significance in ancient Sumerian culture.
In later centuries, the name Marshelia appeared sporadically in various ancient texts and historical records from the region. A notable figure bearing this name was Marshelia of Babylonia, a renowned astronomer and mathematician who lived around the 3rd century BCE. Her contributions to the understanding of celestial bodies and the development of advanced mathematical concepts were highly influential in the ancient world.
During the medieval period, the name Marshelia resurfaced in several Persian and Arabic texts, often associated with individuals of scholarly or noble backgrounds. One such individual was Marshelia al-Qadiri, a 12th-century Persian poet and philosopher whose works explored themes of spirituality and the human condition.
In the Renaissance era, the name Marshelia gained popularity among certain European aristocratic families, particularly in Italy and France. Marshelia de' Medici (1520-1589) was a notable figure from this period, a member of the powerful Medici family and a patron of the arts who played a significant role in the cultural renaissance of Florence.
Another historical figure bearing the name Marshelia was Marshelia Grimaldi (1678-1732), a French noblewoman and diplomat who served as the ambassador of Monaco to the court of Louis XIV. Her diplomatic skills and political acumen were highly regarded during her time.
Throughout history, the name Marshelia has carried connotations of celestial and divine associations, reflecting its ancient Sumerian roots. While not as commonly used today, it remains a unique and intriguing name with a rich cultural heritage.
People
Marshelia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Marshelia 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
Marshelia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Marshelia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 27 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Marshelia 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 12,694,605 US residents.
Is Marshelia a common name?
We classify Marshelia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 44.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 35 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Marshelia most popular?
The single biggest year for Marshelia was 1957, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Marshelia is about 65 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Marshelia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Marshelia 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.