Marcel
Borrowed from French Marcel, from Latin Marcellus, diminutive of Marcus.
Every Marcel since 1881 — 21,123 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Marcel
Marcel is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #731 in 2025 with 364 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 21,123 American babies have been named Marcel. Its peak came in 2022, when 417 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Marcel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Marcel year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 364 | #731 |
| 2024 | — | — | 339 | #755 |
| 2023 | — | — | 341 | #761 |
| 2022 | — | — | 417 | #659 |
| 2021 | — | — | 387 | #686 |
| 2020 | — | — | 373 | #686 |
| 2019 | — | — | 310 | #766 |
| 2018 | — | — | 326 | #733 |
| 2017 | — | — | 315 | #749 |
| 2016 | — | — | 317 | #766 |
| 2015 | 5 | #18,169 | 308 | #772 |
| 2014 | — | — | 264 | #848 |
| 2013 | — | — | 275 | #801 |
| 2012 | — | — | 238 | #882 |
| 2011 | — | — | 256 | #842 |
| 2010 | 5 | #18,823 | 255 | #838 |
| 2009 | 5 | #19,134 | 234 | #892 |
| 2008 | — | — | 260 | #839 |
| 2007 | — | — | 248 | #852 |
| 2006 | 6 | #16,389 | 198 | #946 |
| 2005 | 5 | #18,178 | 238 | #806 |
| 2004 | — | — | 212 | #840 |
| 2003 | 5 | #17,387 | 227 | #773 |
| 2002 | 5 | #17,135 | 195 | #854 |
| 2001 | 6 | #14,662 | 214 | #791 |
| 2000 | 5 | #16,628 | 227 | #748 |
| 1995 | 5 | #14,846 | 253 | #656 |
| 1990 | 11 | #7,649 | 327 | #562 |
| 1985 | 12 | #5,900 | 201 | #617 |
| 1980 | 10 | #6,593 | 176 | #658 |
| 1975 | 14 | #4,482 | 183 | #597 |
| 1970 | 32 | #2,383 | 183 | #600 |
| 1965 | 27 | #2,323 | 166 | #591 |
| 1960 | 28 | #2,226 | 123 | #705 |
| 1955 | 18 | #2,685 | 83 | #805 |
| 1950 | 7 | #4,574 | 88 | #733 |
| 1945 | 6 | #4,345 | 75 | #704 |
| 1940 | 10 | #2,884 | 53 | #867 |
| 1935 | — | — | 70 | #736 |
| 1930 | — | — | 129 | #527 |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,485 | 148 | #500 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,242 | 106 | #613 |
| 1915 | 7 | #3,658 | 90 | #607 |
| 1910 | — | — | 11 | #1,019 |
| 1905 | — | — | 9 | #888 |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | 6 | #1,041 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Marcel
- Marcel Proust Writer · 1871–1922
- Marcel Duchamp Artist · 1887–1968
- Marcel Mauss Sociologist · 1872–1950
- Marcel Breuer Architect · 1902–1981
- Marcel Marceau Actor · 1923–2007
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Marcel mean?
Borrowed from French Marcel, from Latin Marcellus, diminutive of Marcus.
How popular is the name Marcel in 2025?
Marcel ranked #731 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 364 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Marcel?
21,123 babies have been named Marcel in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Marcel most popular?
Marcel peaked in 2022, when 417 newborns received the name.
Is Marcel a boy or girl name?
Marcel is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 95% of babies with the name.
Is the name Marcel rising or falling?
Marcel is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Marcel?
Well-known people named Marcel include Marcel Proust (writer), Marcel Duchamp (artist), Marcel Mauss (sociologist).