boys' name ★ peaked 1994

Markus

Meaning Rare spelling variant of Marcus Gender Boy Rank 2025 #1,336 Trend ↓ Falling 15%

Rare spelling variant of Marcus.

Rank 2025
#1,336
among boys · ↓114 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
144
named Markus · -13% vs 2024
How common
1 in 11,862
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1994
396 babies
All-time total
14,947
#974 all-time among boys
First recorded
1915
in Social Security records

Markus popularity over time

14,947 babies have been named Markus since 1915, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.060.130.190.2518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1994Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s 16 2 – #2,856
1920s 56 6 +250% #2,768
1930s 23 2 -59% #3,010
1940s 37 4 +61% #2,607
1950s 291 29 +686% #1,075
1960s 725 73 +149% #768
1970s 1,281 128 +77% #659
1980s 2,136 214 +67% #528
1990s 3,487 349 +63% #495
2000s 3,251 325 -7% #625
2010s 2,706 271 -17% #682
2020s (to 2025) 938 156 -42% #1,129

Where Markus is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 140 0.08 outside top 500
2027 136 0.08 outside top 500
2028 133 0.08 outside top 500
2029 131 0.08 outside top 500
2030 129 0.08 outside top 500

Where Markus is most popular

Boys named Markus per 1,000 boys born in each state, 2021–2025. National average: 0.091 per 1,000. Strongest in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.

Vs national average
well below below near national above well above no data

All 50 states and DC, sorted by rate. Counts are boys named Markus born 2021–2025; the per-1,000 rate makes states of different sizes comparable, and the last column shows each state against the national average.

State Boys 2021–2025 Per 1,000 vs national
Indiana 25 0.156 +72%
Ohio 39 0.147 +63%
Michigan 25 0.122 +35%
California 100 0.109 +21%
Washington 17 0.104 +15%
North Carolina 21 0.082 -9%
Texas 68 0.077 -15%
Kansas 5 0.073 -19%
Oklahoma 6 0.068 -25%
Pennsylvania 18 0.068 -25%
Illinois 17 0.067 -27%
Florida 31 0.065 -28%
Utah 6 0.063 -31%
Kentucky 6 0.060 -34%
Tennessee 10 0.055 -39%
New York 23 0.053 -41%
Colorado 5 0.039 -57%
Virginia 6 0.032 -65%
Georgia 5 0.020 -78%
Alaska – – –
Alabama – – –
Arkansas – – –
Arizona – – –
Connecticut – – –
District of Columbia – – –
Delaware – – –
Hawaii – – –
Iowa – – –
Idaho – – –
Louisiana – – –
Massachusetts – – –
Maryland – – –
Maine – – –
Minnesota – – –
Missouri – – –
Mississippi – – –
Montana – – –
North Dakota – – –
Nebraska – – –
New Hampshire – – –
New Jersey – – –
New Mexico – – –
Nevada – – –
Oregon – – –
Rhode Island – – –
South Carolina – – –
South Dakota – – –
Vermont – – –
Wisconsin – – –
West Virginia – – –
Wyoming – – –

State counts come from the Social Security Administration's state files, which omit any state-year with fewer than five babies of a name, so small states can undercount slightly.

The story of Markus

Markus is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,336 in 2025 with 144 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1915, 14,947 American babies have been named Markus. Its peak came in 1994, when 396 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

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 Markus stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Markus?

The median living Markus is about 27 years old; half are between 15 and 37. An estimated 14 thousand people named Markus are alive in the United States today.

median 27 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Markus year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 144 #1,336
2024 165 #1,222
2023 140 #1,355
2022 152 #1,276
2021 181 #1,129
2020 156 #1,212
2019 181 #1,099
2018 212 #980
2017 225 #932
2016 264 #852
2015 261 #867
2014 327 #734
2013 279 #797
2012 265 #828
2011 345 #686
2010 347 #682
2009 392 #640
2008 355 #681
2007 346 #687
2006 370 #634
2005 289 #709
2004 332 #636
2003 302 #657
2002 288 #653
2001 277 #662
2000 300 #625
1995 350 #544
1990 386 #495
1985 192 #636
1980 137 #750
1975 130 #729
1970 120 #750
1965 69 #888
1960 56 #1,027
1955 28 #1,474
1950 13 #2,166
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 5 #4,348
1925 6 #4,025
1920 10 #2,890
1915 7 #3,270
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Markus

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Markus Persson Markus Persson Swedish video game programmer (born 1979) Contemporary
  2. 2 Markus Rühl Markus Rühl German bodybuilder (born 1972) Contemporary
  3. 3 Markus Söder Markus Söder German politician (born 1967) Contemporary
  4. 4 Markus Wolf Markus Wolf East German intelligence service chief (1923–2006) Contemporary
  5. 5 Markus Zusak Markus Zusak Australian writer (born 1975) Contemporary
  6. 6 Markus Babbel Markus Babbel German footballer (born 1972) Contemporary
  7. 7 Markus Näslund Markus Näslund Swedish ice hockey player (born 1973) Contemporary
  8. 8 Markus Winkelhock Markus Winkelhock German racing driver (born 1980) Contemporary
  9. 9 Markus Schulz Markus Schulz German DJ and producer (born 1975) Contemporary
  10. 10 Markus Rosenberg Markus Rosenberg Swedish footballer (born 1982) Contemporary
  11. 11 Markus Merk Markus Merk German football referee (born 1962) Contemporary
  12. 12 Markus Henriksen Markus Henriksen Norwegian footballer (born 1992) Contemporary
  13. 13 Markus Schopp Markus Schopp Association Football Manager b. 1974 · Contemporary
  14. 14 Markus Weinzierl Markus Weinzierl German football coach and former player (born 1974) Contemporary
  15. 15 Markus Suttner Markus Suttner Austrian footballer b. 1987 · Contemporary
  16. 16 Markus Rogan Markus Rogan Austrian swimmer b. 1982 · Contemporary
  17. 17 Markus Wasmeier Markus Wasmeier German alpine skier b. 1963 · Contemporary
  18. 18 Markus Schubert Markus Schubert German association football player b. 1998 · Contemporary
  19. 19 Markus Eisenbichler Markus Eisenbichler German ski jumper (born 1991) Contemporary
  20. 20 Markus Feulner Markus Feulner German footballer b. 1982 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Markus, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Markus?

The median living Markus is about 27 years old. Half of all living Markuss are between 15 and 37 years old.

How many people named Markus are alive today?

An estimated 14 thousand people named Markus are alive in the United States, based on 14,947 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Markus mean?

Rare spelling variant of Marcus.

How popular is the name Markus in 2025?

Markus ranked #1,336 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 144 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Markus?

14,947 babies have been named Markus in the United States since 1915, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Markus most popular?

Markus peaked in 1994, when 396 newborns received the name.

Is Markus a boy or girl name?

Markus is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Markus rising or falling?

Markus is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Markus become more popular?

Markus is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 129 boys named Markus in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Markus?

Well-known people named Markus include Markus Persson (game designer), Markus Rühl (athlete), Markus Söder (politician).

Names like Markus

Names that sound and feel close to Markus: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Markus with similar names → More names starting with M →