Marcelo

Marcelo - A very unique male name

Marcelo appeared on the charts for the first time in 1914 on position #1428. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Marcelo and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Marcelo? 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 Marcelo. The baby boy name Marcelo was given to 772 baby boys in 2025, ranking #399 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,899 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Marcelo peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 399.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Marcelo, 1-5?

Marcelo is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Marcelo is currently topping the baby name charts in Texas at position #184 - and is the least popular in Ohio at position #844.

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 Marcelo is where you live.

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Marcelo origin and meaning

Spanish and Portuguese, from Latin Marcellus

Form of Marcellus, a diminutive of Marcus — traditionally linked to Mars

Marcelo is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Marcellus, the Roman name behind Marcel and Marcello. It has been in US data since 1914 at modest levels and in 2025 reached its highest use ever, helped by global football's visibility.

Attested etymology

Marcelo is a 7 letter name with 3 syllables.

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

Similar to Marcelo

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

Marshall / Marcel / 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 Marcelo

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 Marcelo 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 Marcelo?

3 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-oh · /mɑːrˈsɛloʊ/

Around the world

• Marcelo (Spanish) — The source form
• Marcelo (Portuguese) — The same form in Portuguese
• Marcello (Italian) — The Italian form
• Marcel (French) — The French form

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Marce

Famous bearers

• Marcelo Vieira — Brazilian footballer known simply as Marcelo, longtime Real Madrid left-back (b. 1988) Contemporary

Style

InternationalClassic

Why parents choose it

A warm, rolling name with deep Iberian roots, currently at its American peak while still uncommon.

Worth knowing

• English speakers may shorten or misread it as Marcel or Marcus.