Total births
9,603
Boys' name · since 1880
Marcellus
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 9,603 babies named Marcellus, peaking in 2021. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #950
- among boys today
- 9,603
- born since 1880
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other boys
9,603 babies have been named Marcellus since 1880, making it today's #950 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Marcellus recorded 9,603 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #950 nationally today, ahead of 93% of boys, peaking in the 2020s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #950 among boys today
- 9,603 born since 1880
- 2020s peak decade
- 93% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Marcellus is currently the #950 boys' name in America, more common than 93% of boys - 9,603 born since 1880, peaking in the 2020s.
- #950
- among boys today
- 9,603
- born since 1880
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other boys
Marcellus vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#950
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 93% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Marcellus was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
351 babies were named Marcellus in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Marcellus compares
9,603 Top 8% higher than 92% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Marcellus's all-time total is 26x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Marcellus | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 9,603 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 351 | 23 | 22,252 |
Marcellus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Marcellus's SSA record in two at 1954 and the more recent half accounts for 79% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 21%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1883, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2021 peak of 351, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Marcellus at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2021
Current rank
#950
Active since
1880
Marcellus popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 351
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Marcellus popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1970 (Marcellus as girls' name)
Marcellus by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Marcellus's strongest decade.
1,732 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Marcellus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 91
1880s
91 births
- 1890s 66
1890s
66 births
- 1900s 108
1900s
108 births
- 1910s 410
1910s
410 births
- 1920s 523
1920s
523 births
- 1930s 359
1930s
359 births
- 1940s 326
1940s
326 births
- 1950s 414
1950s
414 births
- 1960s 612
1960s
612 births
- 1970s
1970s
818 births
- 1980s 674
1980s
674 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,032 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,035 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,403 births
- 2020s
2020s
1,732 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 1,732 births (18% of all-time use).
How Marcellus compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Marcellus's total volume
Marcellus vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Marcellus by state
Where Marcellus concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 615 | 6.4% |
| #2 | Texas | | 480 | 5.0% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 405 | 4.2% |
| #4 | New York | | 365 | 3.8% |
| #5 | Virginia | | 312 | 3.2% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 305 | 3.2% |
| #7 | Florida | | 287 | 3.0% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 282 | 2.9% |
California share of Marcellus's total US births 6.4%
Even split
615 of 9,603 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 35 reporting states.
Marcellus appears in 35 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Marcellus? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 9,603 babies named Marcellus. Today it holds rank #950 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2021, with 351 births.
When was Marcellus most popular? ▼
Marcellus was most popular in the 2020s decade with 1,732 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Marcellus most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Marcellus are California (615 births), Texas (480 births), Illinois (405 births).
How long has the name Marcellus been used? ▼
Records for Marcellus go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Marcellus? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mark, Martin, Marvin, Marcus, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Marcellus's data
- California records the most Marcelluss (615 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Marcellus
Nearby Names Like Marcellus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Marcellus
Mark Boy
#244 1,362,176 births
Martin Boy
#307 315,561 births
Marvin Boy
#671 254,192 births
Marcus Boy
#256 241,657 births
Mario Boy
#398 151,310 births
Compare Marcellus side by side: Marcellus vs Mark Marcellus vs Martin Marcellus vs Marvin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Marcellus
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Marcellus: #950 Boys' Name - 9,603 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/marcellus. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Marcellus draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.