Marcel
How to say it: mar-SEL · /mɑrˈsɛl/
From Latin Marcellus, diminutive of Marcus, likely derived from Mars, the Roman god of war.
Marcel was the 612th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 364 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up about 16% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #598 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #612 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 364 |
| Share of births | 1 in 7,764 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | +16% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #598 |
| In France, 2025 | #116 among boys’ names, 585 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Right now Marcel sits at its peak with the 2020s as its best decade so far. Growth looks set to continue.
What goes with it
In two syllables with soft sounds and a breathy close, Marcel feels literary and at ease across borders. Henri shares its style and Marc works as a short form.
Parents who love Marcel also love
Nicknames
- Marc
- Marcy
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Marcel is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Polish, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #116 for boys in 2025.
Ireland: #392.
Famous people named Marcel
- Marcel Proust (1871–1922)French novelist, critic and essayist
- Marcel Desailly (born 1968)French footballer
- Marcel Pagnol (1895–1974)Novelist, playwright and filmmaker from France
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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