Marvelous
Marked by extreme excellence; astonishing and extraordinary.
Name Census estimates that about 331 living Americans carry the first name Marvelous. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 67.5% of registrations being male. The average person named Marvelous today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Marvelous births was 2019 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Marvelous. 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.
People living today
331
~ 1 in 1,035,512 Americans
Peak year
2019
25 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,504
Tracked since 1964
Gender
Gender distribution for Marvelous
Marvelous is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 335 total registrations, 226 (67.5%) were male and 109 (32.5%) were female.
Marvelous as a male name
- Ranked #10,504 in 2024
- 7 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2019 (16 births)
Marvelous as a female name
- Ranked #10,849 in 2023
- 9 female births in 2023
- Peak: 2020 (12 births)
Popularity
Marvelous: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Marvelous from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 158 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Marvelous remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marvelous 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 Marvelous during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Marvelous' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Marvelous
The given name Marvelous is a relatively modern invention, emerging in the late 19th century as an English language name. It derives from the adjective "marvelous," which traces its origins to the Old French "mervelous" and the Latin "mirabilis," meaning "wonderful" or "admirable." The name was likely coined as a descriptor, reflecting a sense of awe or wonder.
While the name itself does not have ancient roots, its underlying meaning has been celebrated across cultures and time periods. The concept of marveling at the wonders of the world is present in various religious and philosophical traditions, from the reverence for nature in indigenous belief systems to the appreciation of beauty and creation in Abrahamic faiths.
The earliest recorded instances of Marvelous as a given name can be found in late 19th century census records and birth registries, primarily in English-speaking countries. One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name was Marvelous Hettie Smith, born in 1887 in Tennessee, United States.
Throughout the 20th century, Marvelous gained popularity as a unique and aspirational name choice, particularly in African American communities. Prominent individuals who carried this name include:
1. Marvelous Marvin Hagler (1954-2021), an American professional boxer and former undisputed middleweight champion.
2. Marvelous Marvin Motah (born 1943), an American professional basketball player and coach.
3. Marvelous Marvin Ishmael (born 1969), a Trinidadian and Tobagonian former professional boxer.
4. Marvelous Mike Tyson (born 1966), an American professional boxer and former undisputed heavyweight champion.
5. Marvelous Merv Larkin (born 1942), an American former professional baseball player.
While historically uncommon, the name Marvelous reflects a spirit of wonder and appreciation for the extraordinary. Its modern usage celebrates these qualities and serves as a unique and inspiring name choice for parents seeking to instill a sense of awe and amazement in their children.
People
Marvelous + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Marvelous 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
Marvelous: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Marvelous?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 331 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Marvelous 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 1,035,512 US residents.
Is Marvelous a common name?
We classify Marvelous as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 335 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Marvelous most popular?
The single biggest year for Marvelous was 2019, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Marvelous is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Marvelous a male name?
Yes, 67.5% of people registered as Marvelous in the SSA data are male. 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.