Marcus
How to say it: MAR-kus · /ˈmɑrkəs/
From Latin 'Marcus', likely related to Mars, the Roman god of war; meaning 'of Mars' or 'warlike'.
Marcus was the 190th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 1,341 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1980s, its births are down about 41% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #235 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 | #190 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 1,341 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,606 |
| Peak decade | 1980s |
| Change over 10 years | −41% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #235 |
| In France, 2025 | #222 among boys’ names, 230 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
In the 1980s Marcus reached its high. Now well below that peak, further slipping looks likely over the next few years.
What goes with it
Solid and breathy with a strong quality that travels well. Marc serves as a short form while Roman shares its style.
Middle names that flow with Marcus →
Nicknames
- Marc
- Mark
Honouring a Marcus in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Marcus is about 1 in 67.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish.
In France: #222 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #268. Ireland: #236.
Famous people named Marcus
- Marcus Rashford (born 1997)English footballer
- Marcus Tulio Tanaka (born 1981)Japanese association football player
- Marcus Thuram (born 1997)French footballer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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