Given name & surname
Marcellus
“the little warrior”·“dedicated to Mars, the god of war”
Marcellus is a variant of Marcel. One French interpretation is “the little warrior.” In Latin use, Marcellus is a diminutive of Marcus. In Latin use, Marcus carries the interpretation “dedicated to Mars, the god of war.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Marcellus is a variant of Marcel. One French interpretation is “the little warrior.” In Latin use, Marcellus is a diminutive of Marcus. In Latin use, Marcus carries the interpretation “dedicated to Mars, the god of war.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Marcellus is a variant of Marcel. An origin associated with Marcel is Latin.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Latin usage, Marcellus is a diminutive of Marcus.
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. Marcellus is a variant 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
Marcellus through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 9,608
- 9,603 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 2021
- 351 babies
- 2025
- 208
- #1,054 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +26%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 208 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,054 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 25.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (22). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,754 as a first name in 2020; 2,244 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.
Marcellus’s family of names
In Latin usage, Marcellus is a diminutive of Marcus. Marcellus has a feminine form in Marcella. In English usage, Marcellus has a conventional equivalent in the Spanish form Marcelo.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Marcellus has relatives in 12 languages.
10 related names in 12 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 9
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- MarceloPortuguese, Spanish
- Marcellafeminine form · Latin
- MarkusGerman
- MarcellHungarian
- Markelequivalent
- Марсельequivalent
- Маркелequivalent
- Μάρκελλοςborrowing · Ancient Greek
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People named Marcellus
- Marcellus Emantsnovelist (1848–1923)
- Celly CelAmerican rapper and hip-hop producerborn 2000
- Marcellus CoffermansFlemish painter, active 1549-1575 (1524–1581)
- Marcellus WileyAmerican football playerborn 1974
- Marcellus SchifferGerman author (1892–1932)
- Marcellus of AcemataSyrian monk401–485
- Marcellus StearnsAmerican politician (1839-1891)
- Babyface RayAmerican rapper (born 1991)born 2002
- Marcellus JonesUnion Army officer (1830–1900)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
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