Marcela
How to say it: mar-SELL-uh · /mɑrˈsɛlə/
Feminine form of Marcellus, derived from Mars, the Roman god of war; meaning 'of Mars' or 'warlike'.
Marcela was the 679th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 136 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1990s, its births are up about 49% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #642 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #679 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 136 |
| Share of births | 1 in 8,125 |
| Peak decade | 1990s |
| Change over 10 years | +49% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #642 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,735 among girls’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
After a high point in the 1990s, Marcela remains in steady use not far from that best. Growth looks likely over the next few years.
What goes with it
With soft and breathy sounds, Marcela feels mellow and flowing. Mariana shares its style beautifully.
Nicknames
- Marce
- Cela
- Ela
Honouring a Marcela in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Marcela is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, English, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish.
In France: #1,735 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Marcela
- Marcela Bovio (born 1979)Mexican metal artist
- Marcela Lagarde (born 1948)Mexican academic, author, researcher, anthropologist, feminist activist and politician
- Marcela Iacub (born 1964)Argentine writer, academic and jurist
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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