girl's name
Marceline
MAR-suh-leen
- Origin Latin
- Gender Girl
- Letters 9
- Popularity Top 1000 (France)
- Births on record 15,310
the United States
#425
2025 births
Marceline is a girl's name of Latin origin meaning "of Mars". It is the French feminine of Marcel, a diminutive of Marcus, so the name belongs to the Roman god of war by way of two layers of affectionate French shaping.
- Marceline is a name of Latin origin.
- Peaked in France in 1901, when 235 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1900s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in France.
- Today about 1 in 29,475 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
Marceline over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 2,105 |
| 1910s | 1,440 |
| 1920s | 1,380 |
| 1930s | 945 |
| 1940s | 660 |
| 1950s | 560 |
| 1960s | 280 |
| 1970s | 110 |
| 1980s | 100 |
| 1990s | 150 |
| 2000s | 175 |
| 2010s | 220 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 135 |
What Marceline means
Marceline means little Marcellus, and Marcellus means little Marcus, and Marcus means of Mars. Two diminutives stack on one another, which is why the name sounds so much softer than its root.
Where Marceline comes from
Marceline is the French feminine of Marcellin, from the Latin Marcellinus, itself a diminutive of Marcellus, which is a diminutive of Marcus — from Mars, the Roman god of war and, earlier, of agriculture and boundaries. Saint Marcellina, sister of Ambrose of Milan, carried the feminine into the calendar. In our records Marceline peaks in 1901, which makes it one of very few names in the English-speaking top 1,000 whose highest recorded use is more than a century ago; its current presence is a revival rather than a survival.
Marceline in use
Marceline peaked in 1901 — among the earliest peaks of any name in the English-speaking top 1,000, making its current use a genuine revival.
How popular is Marceline?
In 2025, Marceline was given to 20 babies in France. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Marceline is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Marceline
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Marceline also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Marceline over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Marceline
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Marceline in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Marceline
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Marceline — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Marceline
What does the name Marceline mean?
Of Mars, through Marcus and two layers of diminutive — Marcellus and Marcellinus.
Is Marceline a French name?
It is the French feminine form. Italian gives Marcellina and Spanish Marcelina.
Is Marceline an old name?
Yes, and unusually so — its highest recorded use in our data is 1901, so its current use is a revival.
How popular is the name Marceline?
In 2025, Marceline was given to 20 babies in France. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Marceline a girl's or a boy's name?
Marceline is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
When was Marceline most popular?
Marceline peaked in 1901, when 235 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1900s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Marceline?
Marceline is usually shortened to Marcy and Lina.
Is Marceline a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Marceline currently ranks #425 in France. After peaking in the 1900s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.