Marcel

Marcel - A very unique male name

Marcel appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #734. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Marcel and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Marcel? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Marcel. The baby boy name Marcel was given to 316 baby boys in 2025, ranking #733 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 4,640 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Marcel peaked in popularity 96 years ago in 1930 on position 489.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Marcel, 1-5?

Marcel is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Marcel is currently topping the baby name charts in Arizona at position #421 - and is the least popular in Ohio at position #1,201.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Marcel is where you live.

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Marcel origin and meaning

French, from Latin Marcellus

French form of Marcellus, a Roman name from Marcus — linked to Mars, the war god; often glossed 'little warrior'

Marcel is the French form of the Roman Marcellus, borne by writer Marcel Proust and mime Marcel Marceau. In the U.S. it has been a steady minor name for a century, dipping slightly in recent years.

Attested etymology

Marcel is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Marcel, pop culture references for the name Marcel and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Marcel

We've found the following names that sound similar to Marcel, sorted by popularity.

Marshall / Marcelo / Marcelino / Marcellus / Marcello / Markell / Markel / Marcell / Marshal / Marquel /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Marcel

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Marcel a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Marcel?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

mar-SEL · /mɑːrˈsɛl/

Around the world

• Marcel (French) — The original French form
• Marcelo (Spanish) — The Spanish form
• Marcello (Italian) — The Italian form
• Marcel (German) — Used as-is in German

Spellings and nicknames

• Marcelo — Spanish form

Famous bearers

• Marcel Proust — French novelist, author of In Search of Lost Time (1871–1922) Historical
• Marcel Duchamp — French artist (1887–1968) Historical
• Marcel Marceau — French mime artist (1923–2007) Contemporary

Style

InternationalClassicLiterary

Why parents choose it

Marcel suits parents wanting a distinctly French, artistic name that Americans can still say easily.

Worth knowing

• Strongly French — in the U.S. it can read as an imported, older-generation name