Marcel
Boy name · #731 in 2025 · Uniqueness 60/100
Marcel ranks #731 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 364 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #771, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,945 boys born in 2025 was named Marcel.
Babies named Marcel per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 144-year story
Marcel first appears in the Social Security records in 1881, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 417 babies and a rank of #659. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Marcel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Marcel in class?
Marcel scores 60 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Marcel is most common
Geography matters for names, and Marcel is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Marcels were TX (47), CA (42), FL (28), NY (27), AZ (18). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Marcel
Statistically, parents drawn to Marcel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Mikael, Lionel, Misael, Shmuel, and Mendel.
MikaelLionelMisaelShmuelMendelYisroelRaphaelNoel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Marcel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 364 | #730 |
| 2024 | 339 | #754 |
| 2023 | 341 | #761 |
| 2022 | 417 | #659 |
| 2021 | 387 | #686 |
| 2020 | 373 | #686 |
| 2019 | 310 | #766 |
| 2018 | 326 | #732 |
| 2017 | 315 | #748 |
| 2016 | 317 | #765 |
| 2015 | 308 | #771 |
| 2014 | 264 | #847 |
| 2013 | 275 | #799 |
| 2012 | 238 | #880 |
| 2011 | 256 | #841 |
| 2010 | 255 | #836 |
| 2009 | 234 | #891 |
| 2008 | 260 | #838 |
| 2007 | 248 | #851 |
| 2006 | 198 | #945 |
| 2005 | 238 | #805 |
| 2004 | 212 | #838 |
| 2003 | 227 | #772 |
| 2002 | 195 | #848 |
| 2001 | 214 | #788 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Marcel a popular boy name?
Marcel ranked #731 among boys in 2025 with 364 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #771.
When was the name Marcel most popular?
Marcel peaked in 2022, when 417 American boys received the name (ranked #659 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Marcel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,945 newborn American boys was named Marcel. It scores 60/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.