boy's name
Marcus
MAR-kus
- Origin Latin
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 275,671
the United States
#258
2025 births
Marcus is a boy's name of Latin origin most likely meaning "of Mars," and it was one of only about eighteen first names Roman men used. It ranks 151st in Northern Ireland and 258th in the United States.
- Marcus is a name of Latin origin.
- Peaked in 1984, when 6,060 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 2,472 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Marcus 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 | 424 |
| 1890s | 405 |
| 1900s | 482 |
| 1910s | 2,056 |
| 1920s | 3,055 |
| 1930s | 2,308 |
| 1940s | 3,271 |
| 1950s | 8,748 |
| 1960s | 14,659 |
| 1970s | 39,840 |
| 1980s | 52,324 |
| 1990s | 46,640 |
| 2000s | 35,740 |
| 2010s | 24,163 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 8,884 |
What Marcus means
Marcus most likely means of Mars, from the Roman god of war. The derivation is not certain — a link to a word for hammer has also been proposed — but Mars is what the sources broadly support.
Where Marcus comes from
Marcus is a Roman praenomen, and the praenomen system is the point: Roman men drew on a pool of roughly eighteen first names, of which Marcus, Gaius, Lucius, Publius and Quintus account for the overwhelming majority — which is why so many Romans appear to share a name. Marcus is generally derived from Mars. Its bearers include Marcus Tullius Cicero, Marcus Antonius, and Marcus Aurelius, whose Meditations were written for himself in Greek while campaigning on the Danube and were never intended for publication. Mark is the English development and Marco the Italian. The name is separately the Latin behind the month of March, which is also named for Mars, so the two share a source without either deriving from the other.
Marcus in use
Marcus ranks 151st in Northern Ireland with 15 births in 2024 and 258th in the United States with 1,341 births, and it appears in every market we hold — 240th in France, 243rd in Ireland, 268th in England and Wales, 180th in Scotland. It is falling from a peak in 1984, and our records carry it from 1880. That seven-market spread is rare.
How popular is Marcus?
In 2025, Marcus was given to 1,341 babies in the United States, ranking #258 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Marcus 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 Marcus
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Marcus also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Marcus over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Marcus
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.
Marcus 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 Marcus
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Marcus — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Marcus
What does the name Marcus mean?
Most likely "of Mars," the Roman god of war, though the derivation is not certain.
Why did so many Romans share names?
Roman men drew first names from a pool of about eighteen, of which Marcus was among the five most common.
Is Marcus the same as Mark?
Yes. Mark is the English development of the Latin Marcus.
Is March related?
Both are named for Mars, but neither derives from the other.
How popular is the name Marcus?
In 2025, Marcus was given to 1,341 babies in the United States, ranking #258 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Marcus a girl's or a boy's name?
Marcus is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Marcus?
Marcus has 2 syllables.
When was Marcus most popular?
Marcus peaked in 1984, when 6,060 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Marcus?
Marcus is usually shortened to Marc, Mars and Mark.
Is Marcus a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Marcus currently ranks #125 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.