The first name Marcel
A boy’s name from French.
Pronounced /mɑɹˈsɛl/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
French origin
Borrowed from French Marcel, from Latin Marcellus, diminutive of Marcus. Doublet of Marcellus.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 70 boys were named Marcel, making it the 556th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2015, with 252 births (#223).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Marcel with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Marcel at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 364 boys born in the United States were named Marcel, the 731st most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 417 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Marcel in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Marcel in Catalan, Czech, French, German, Polish and Slovak too.
Famous people named Marcel
257 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Marcel ProustFrench novelist, critic and essayist (1871–1922)
- Marcel DesaillyFrench footballer (born 1968)
- Marcel MarceauFrench actor and mime artist (1923–2007)
- Marcel AchardFrench writer (1899-1974)
- Marcel MaussFrench sociologist and anthropologist (1872-1950)
- Marcel SchmelzerGerman footballer, born 1988
- Marcel CarnéFrench film director (1906 – 1996)
- Marcel SabitzerAustrian footballer, born 1994
- Marcel AyméFrench writer (1902–1967)
- Marcel LefebvreFrench traditionalist Catholic archbishop, 1905–1991
- Marcel HalstenbergGerman footballer, born 1991.
- Marcel DupréFrench organist and composer (1886–1971)
More French boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Marcel mean?
- Borrowed from French Marcel, from Latin Marcellus, diminutive of Marcus. Doublet of Marcellus.
- What is the origin of the name Marcel?
- Borrowed from French Marcel, from Latin Marcellus, diminutive of Marcus. Doublet of Marcellus.
- How popular is the name Marcel?
- In 2025, 70 boys born in England and Wales were named Marcel, ranking 556th. Its peak was 2015, with 252 births.
- Is Marcel a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 95% of the 21,123 US babies named Marcel since 1880 were boys.
- When was Marcel most popular?
- 2022 in the United States, when 417 babies were named Marcel, its highest rank at 659th.
- How do you pronounce Marcel?
- Marcel is /mɑɹˈsɛl/, 2 syllables.
- Is Marcel also a surname?
- Yes. Marcel is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.