Marcelo
How to say it: mahr-SEH-loh · /mɑrˈsɛloʊ/
Spanish and Portuguese form of Marcellus, diminutive of Marcus, from Latin Mars (Roman god of war).
Marcelo was the 407th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 798 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up 2.5-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #290 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 | #407 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 798 |
| Share of births | 1 in 4,154 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | ×2.5 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #290 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,000 among boys’ names, 25 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Recent years have lifted Marcelo to its strongest point in the 2020s. Still at its peak, further growth looks likely.
What goes with it
With three rolling syllables and a soft breathy sound, Marcelo feels strong and melodic. Leonardo would pair nicely in style.
Middle names that flow with Marcelo →
Nicknames
- Marco
- Marc
- Marce
- Celo
Honouring a Marcelo in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Marcelo is about 1 in 174.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish.
In France: #1,000 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Marcelo
- Marcelo Vieira (born 1988)Brazilian association football player
- Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (born 1948)Portuguese politician and academic, former President of Portugal
- Marcelo Brozović (born 1992)Croatian association football player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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