Marcela
Girl name · #1549 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Marcela? In official American birth records, Marcela has been tracked continuously since 1908, giving it 117 years of documented American history.
Marcela ranks #1549 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 136 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1950, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,235 girls born in 2025 was named Marcela.
Babies named Marcela per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 117-year story
Marcela first appears in the Social Security records in 1908, when 9 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1999, when 210 girls were named Marcela — good for #983 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Marcela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Marcela in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Marcela is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Marcela will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Marcela is most common
Geography matters for names, and Marcela is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Marcela is most common in TX (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.1 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Marcela is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Marcela
Statistically, parents drawn to Marcela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Micaela, Mariela, Graciela, Isela, and Mikaela.
MicaelaMarielaGracielaIselaMikaelaMichaelaMirellaGisela
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Marcela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 136 | #1548 |
| 2024 | 148 | #1472 |
| 2023 | 145 | #1493 |
| 2022 | 115 | #1782 |
| 2021 | 129 | #1622 |
| 2020 | 105 | #1849 |
| 2019 | 141 | #1528 |
| 2018 | 132 | #1616 |
| 2017 | 108 | #1876 |
| 2016 | 127 | #1684 |
| 2015 | 103 | #1950 |
| 2014 | 112 | #1818 |
| 2013 | 114 | #1792 |
| 2012 | 119 | #1733 |
| 2011 | 110 | #1829 |
| 2010 | 122 | #1713 |
| 2009 | 137 | #1629 |
| 2008 | 175 | #1374 |
| 2007 | 163 | #1445 |
| 2006 | 174 | #1335 |
| 2005 | 180 | #1255 |
| 2004 | 206 | #1107 |
| 2003 | 201 | #1094 |
| 2002 | 178 | #1156 |
| 2001 | 199 | #1066 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Marcela?
In official American birth records, the name Marcela first appeared in 1908 (over 117 years ago), when 9 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 117 years.
Is Marcela a popular girl name?
Marcela ranked #1549 among girls in 2025 with 136 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1950.
When was the name Marcela most popular?
Marcela peaked in 1999, when 210 American girls received the name (ranked #983 that year). Since 1999 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Marcela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,235 newborn American girls was named Marcela. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.