Given name & surname
Marcella
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war”·“the little warrior”
In Latin use, Marcella is a feminine form of Marcel. One French interpretation is “the little warrior.”
Original LatinMarcellus
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Latin use, Marcella carries the interpretation “dedicated to Mars, the god of war.” In Latin use, Marcella is a feminine form of Marcel. One French interpretation is “the little warrior.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Latin.
How it developed
Marcella is used as a feminine counterpart of Marcellus.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In Latin use, Marcella is a feminine form of Marcel. The history of Marcel gives this family its wider story. Marcel’s historical associations include a 3rd-century missionary to Gaul, martyred at Bourges with his companion Anastasius.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Marcella through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 65,836
- 222 boys · 65,614 girls
- Most popular year
- 1922
- 1,542 babies
- 2025
- 272
- #948 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +4%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 272 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 948 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 3.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,537 in 1922. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (22). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 32,506 as a first name in 2020; 1,120 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Marcella’s family of names
In English usage, Marcella has a diminutive in Marcee. Marcella is a feminine form of Marcel. In English usage, Marcella has a conventional equivalent in the Galician form Marcela.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Marcella has relatives in 10 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
Latinwhere Marcella comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 28
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Marcelinevariant
- Marcelavariant · Polish, Spanish
- Marcelinavariant
- Marcellevariant · English, French
- Marsalivariant
- Marcellinavariant
- Marcillevariant
- Marchellevariant · English
Show 20 moreShow fewer
- Marchellavariant · English
- Marceeclipped form · English
- Marshellavariant
- Marsellavariant
- Marquitavariant
- Marcilevariant
- Marcelynvariant
- Marcellinevariant
- Marcelevariant
- Marsilavariant
- Marsillavariant
- Marsillevariant
- Marsilvariant
- Marcilavariant
- Marsiellavariant
- Marselloniavariant
- Marsellevariant
- Marsalinavariant
- Marcileevariant
- Marcelindavariant
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Marcella
- Marcella of RomeChristian saint325–410
- Marcella LiburdKittitian politicianborn 1953
- Marcella Althaus-ReidArgentine-Scottish theologian (1952-2009)
- Marcella DetroitAmerican soprano vocalist, guitarist, and songwriterborn 1959
- Marcella SembrichPolish coloratura soprano singer (1858–1935)
- Marcella AlbaniItalian actress (1899-1959)
- Marcella FilippiItalian basketball player (born 1985)
- Marcella MeskerDutch tennis playerborn 1959
- Marcella HazanItalian-born American cookbook author1924–2013
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Marcella, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“the shining light”
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Cornelia
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Cecelia
“blind”
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“to be elevated”
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Neva
“from the place covered with snow”
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Alva
“one who has a fair complexion” · “a bright man”
24% boys · 76% girls
Almeta
“one who is ambitious” · “resembling a pearl”
>99% girls