Total births
5,198
Unisex name · since 1889
Marvel
5,198 babies named Marvel in U.S. Social Security records since 1889, with the highest year being 1929. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #7271
- among girls today
- 5,198
- born since 1889
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other girls
5,198 babies have been named Marvel since 1889, making it today's #7271 unisex name.
Marvel has 5,198 recorded births among girls since 1889, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #7271 as of the latest data, more common than 59% of girls, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1889 to 2025.
- #7271 among girls today
- 5,198 born since 1889
- 1920s peak decade
- 59% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Marvel is currently the #7271 unisex name in America, more common than 59% of girls - 5,198 born since 1889, peaking in the 1920s.
- #7271
- among girls today
- 5,198
- born since 1889
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other girls
Marvel vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#7271
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 59% of names given to girls today.
1920s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Marvel was born in this single decade.
1929
Single peak year
171 babies were named Marvel in 1929 - its busiest year on record.
How Marvel compares
5,198 Top 13% higher than 87% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Marvel's all-time total is 14x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Marvel | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,198 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 171 | 48 | 19,840 |
Marvel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Marvel's SSA record in two at 1943 and the more recent half accounts for 23% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 77%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1974, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1929 peak of 171, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Marvel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1929
Current rank
#7,271
Active since
1889
Marvel popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1889–2025
- Peak year (1929)
- 171
- Annual births at peak, across 137 years of records
Marvel popularity over time - boys
1,371 total births recorded since 1907 (Marvel as boys' name)
Marvel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Marvel's strongest decade.
1,372 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Marvel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 9
1880s
9 births
- 1890s 208
1890s
208 births
- 1900s 373
1900s
373 births
- 1910s
1910s
962 births
- 1920s
1920s
1,372 births
- 1930s
1930s
916 births
- 1940s 498
1940s
498 births
- 1950s 309
1950s
309 births
- 1960s 141
1960s
141 births
- 1970s 58
1970s
58 births
- 1980s 19
1980s
19 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
- 2010s 166
2010s
166 births
- 2020s 157
2020s
157 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 1,372 births (26% of all-time use).
How Marvel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Marvel's total volume
Marvel vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Marvel by state
Where Marvel concentrates geographically, total births since 1889
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Minnesota | | 448 | 8.6% |
| #2 | Iowa | | 409 | 7.9% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 358 | 6.9% |
| #4 | Wisconsin | | 217 | 4.2% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 180 | 3.5% |
| #6 | North Dakota | | 130 | 2.5% |
| #7 | Nebraska | | 109 | 2.1% |
| #8 | Kansas | | 108 | 2.1% |
Minnesota share of Marvel's total US births 8.6%
Even split
448 of 5,198 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 23 reporting states.
Marvel appears in 23 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Marvel? ▼
Since 1889, Social Security records show 5,198 babies named Marvel. Today it holds rank #7271 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1929, with 171 births.
When was Marvel most popular? ▼
Marvel was most popular in the 1920s decade with 1,372 total births. The single peak year was 1929.
Where is Marvel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Marvel are Minnesota (448 births), Iowa (409 births), Michigan (358 births).
Is Marvel a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Marvel is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 5,198 births, and as a boy's name it has 1,371 births.
How long has the name Marvel been used? ▼
Records for Marvel go back to 1889, giving 137 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Marvel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mary, Margaret, Maria, Martha, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Marvel's data
- Marvel's decade-level peak was the 1920s (1,372 total births); usage has since declined to 157 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Minnesota records the most Marvels (448 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Minnesota 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 Marvel
Nearby Names Like Marvel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Marvel
Mary Girl
#131 4,141,481 births
Margaret Girl
#119 1,264,774 births
Maria Girl
#74 566,111 births
Martha Girl
#666 551,741 births
Marie Girl
#632 540,077 births
Compare Marvel side by side: Marvel vs Mary Marvel vs Margaret Marvel vs Maria
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Marvel
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, 1889–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Marvel: #7271 Unisex Name - 5,198 Births, Peak 1929." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/marvel. 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 Marvel 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.