girl's name
Marcella
mar-SEL-uh
- Origin Latin
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 8
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 67,969
the United States
#948
2025 births
Marcella means dedicated to Mars, and our data marks it reviving — 948th in the United States, 1386th in England and Wales, 1507th in Canada and 6569th in France, from a peak more than a century old. Saint Marcella founded one of the first monastic houses in the West.
- Marcella is a name of Latin origin.
- Peaked in 1922, when 1,542 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 12,189 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Marcella over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s 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 |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 222 |
| 1890s | 706 |
| 1900s | 1,762 |
| 1910s | 8,123 |
| 1920s | 13,455 |
| 1930s | 7,955 |
| 1940s | 6,691 |
| 1950s | 6,639 |
| 1960s | 5,995 |
| 1970s | 3,907 |
| 1980s | 2,803 |
| 1990s | 2,306 |
| 2000s | 1,934 |
| 2010s | 1,897 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,441 |
What Marcella means
Marcella means dedicated to Mars, the Roman god of war. The family name descends from the god, so the sense is dedication rather than a personal quality.
Where Marcella comes from
Marcella is a diminutive of the Roman Marcus, built on Mars — god of war and of agriculture, which is coherent in a society where both were the seasonal work of fighting-age men. March carries his name because the Roman year began when campaigning resumed. Saint Marcella was a fourth-century Roman widow who turned her house on the Aventine into one of the first monastic communities in the West, and Jerome corresponded with her at length.
Marcella in use
Marcella peaked in the United States in 1922, when 1,542 babies were registered, and our data marks it reviving. It charts in four of the seven markets we track — 948th in the United States on 272 births, 1386th in England and Wales on 23, 1507th in Canada and 6569th in France — across 67,969 lifetime births. It is one of five reviving names in this group.
How popular is Marcella?
In 2025, Marcella was given to 272 babies in the United States, ranking #948 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Marcella is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Marcella
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Marcella also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Marcella over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Marcella
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.
Marcella 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 Marcella
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Marcella — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Marcella
What does the name Marcella mean?
Dedicated to Mars — a diminutive of the Roman Marcus.
Who was Saint Marcella?
A fourth-century Roman widow who turned her house into one of the West's first monastic communities.
Is Marcella related to Marcia?
Yes — both descend from Marcus and the god Mars.
Is Marcella coming back?
Our data marks it reviving, at 948th in the United States.
How popular is the name Marcella?
In 2025, Marcella was given to 272 babies in the United States, ranking #948 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Marcella a girl's or a boy's name?
Marcella is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Marcella?
Marcella has 3 syllables.
When was Marcella most popular?
Marcella peaked in 1922, when 1,542 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Marcella?
Marcella is usually shortened to Marcy.
Is Marcella a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Marcella currently ranks #948 in the United States. After peaking in the 1920s 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.