Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Marsalis isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1986. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Marsalis through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 262
- 262 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1989
- 20 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 7 in 2015. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 251 as a first name in 2020; 563 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.
Marsalis’s family of names
In English usage, Marsalis as a surname has a related form in MARCHAL.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Marsalis, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Marquis
“a lord of the borderlands; a nobleman”
>99% boys
Marcell
“the little warrior”
>99% boys
Markus
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war”
>99% boys
Marquise
“a lord of the borderlands; a nobleman”
>99% boys
Malcom
Malcom is a surname.
>99% boys
Mikel
“who is like God?”
99% boys · 1% girls
Mathew
“gift of God” · “a gift from God”
>99% boys
Mykel
“who is like God?”
94% boys · 6% girls