Boys' name · since 1911

Marshel

Marshel has 521 recorded births since 1911 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1923 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

#7,711 of 45,481
all-time among boys
521
born since 1911
1920s
peak decade

521 boys have been named Marshel since 1911, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Marshel has been recorded 521 times among boys since 1911, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1911 to 1989.

  • #7,711 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 521 born since 1911
  • 1920s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Marshel ranks #7,711 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 521 born since 1911, peaking in the 1920s.

#7,711 of 45,481
all-time among boys
521
born since 1911
1920s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Marshel's 521 recorded births place it above 83.03% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

2 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by Alabama.

Marshel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Marshel's full recorded timeline at 1937, 38% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 62% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1911, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1923 peak of 20 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Marshel popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1911–1989

Last recorded 1989
Peak year (1923)
20
Annual births at peak, across 79 years of records
0510152025 191119181925193219391947195719841989 5

Marshel popularity over time - girls

12 total births recorded since 1959 (Marshel as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 12 births
6 19591969 6

Marshel by decade

1920s is the heaviest window (158 births, 30% of the file).

1920s was Marshel's strongest decade.

158 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.

Marshel births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 158 births (30% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Marshel 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 Marshel's total volume

Marshel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15%20%25%30% 050100150 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -24, 24.6%-19, 11.1%-32, 9.6%-111, 5.4%-36, 6.7%-26, 6.1%-14, 11.9%-28, 7.3%-48, 4.8%-49, 4.4%-31, 9.8%-105, 7.5%-35, 6.3%-25, 8.6%-32, 7.1%Marshel-79, 3.8%Marshel
Marshel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Marshel by state

Where Marshel concentrates geographically, total births since 1911

Geographically diffuse
Top 2 states by recorded births for the name Marshel
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Alabama
5 1.0%
#2 Tennessee
5 1.0%
Alabama share of Marshel's total US births 1.0%
Even split

5 of 521 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Marshel?
Since 1911, Social Security records show 521 babies named Marshel. Across the full SSA archive it ranks #7,711 of 45,481 boys' names by total births. The most recent recorded year was 1989. Its busiest year on record was 1923, with 20 births.
Where does Marshel sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Marshel ranks #7,711 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Marshel most popular?
Marshel was most popular in the 1920s decade with 158 total births. The single peak year was 1923.
Where is Marshel most popular?
The top states for the name Marshel are Alabama (5 births), Tennessee (5 births).
How long has the name Marshel been used?
The SSA has tracked Marshel since 1911 -- 79 years through the most recent 1989 data.
What names are similar to Marshel?
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 Marshel's data

  • Marshel's decade-level peak was the 1920s (158 total births); usage has since declined to 26 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Alabama records the most Marshels (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Alabama names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Marshel

Nearby Names Like Marshel

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Marshel

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Marshel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.

Data Sources

Data as of August 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, 1911–1989 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

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 Marshel 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 August 2026.