UK girl's name
Marcia
Of Latin origin meaning "martial" or "warlike".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Marcia is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Marcia popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3695, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 26 births.
This profile covers 402 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 23% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 441 living people in the UK are called Marcia. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Marcia ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 26 girls were registered as Marcia.
- • Marcia ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #793 in 2008.
- • About 441 living people in the UK are estimated to have Marcia as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3695
2024
Births in 2024
6
Latest year
Peak year
2006
26 births
Estimated living
441
2026
Meaning
What does Marcia mean?
The name Marcia has its roots in ancient Rome, deriving from the Roman family name Marcius or Martius, which is linked to Mars, the Roman god of war. This connection suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals with a warlike or courageous spirit.
In Roman history, the name Marcia gained prominence through several notable figures. One of the earliest recorded instances is Marcia, the wife of the Roman general and statesman Cato the Younger, who lived from 95 BC to 46 BC. She was renowned for her virtue and stoicism.
Another famous Marcia was the daughter of the Roman philosopher Seneca the Younger, who lived from 4 BC to 65 AD. She was known for her close relationship with her father and her dedication to philosophy.
During the medieval period, the name Marcia was less common but still held significance. Saint Marcia, a 7th-century Christian martyr from present-day Portugal, was revered for her unwavering faith and sacrifice.
As the Renaissance dawned, the name resurfaced with renewed popularity. Marcia Grimaldi, born in 1619, was a renowned Italian poet and writer who gained recognition for her literary works and intellectual pursuits.
In more recent times, the name Marcia has been associated with several influential figures. Marcia Muller, born in 1944, is an acclaimed American author known for her mystery novels featuring the private investigator Sharon McCone. Marcia Clark, born in 1953, is a former American prosecutor who gained national attention for her role in the O.J. Simpson murder trial.
Marcia Gay Harden, born in 1959, is an acclaimed American actress who won an Academy Award for her supporting role in the film "Pollock." Marcia Griffiths, born in 1949, is a Jamaican reggae singer and songwriter, renowned for her contributions to the genre.
While the name Marcia may have its origins in the ancient Roman world, it has transcended cultural boundaries and historical eras, carrying a sense of strength, resilience, and intellectual curiosity throughout its journey.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Marcia over time
The chart below shows babies named Marcia registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Marcia, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 26 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marcia by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Marcia was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3021 | 40 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2145 | 134 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1494 | 163 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1205 | 65 | 4 |
Geography
Where Marcia is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Marcia. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Marcia ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #793 in 2008.
Across the UK
Marcia in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#793 in 2008
11 years of NRS records, 42 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Marcia
-
Marcia Richardson
athletics competitor
British sprinter
1972-
-
Marcia Hutchinson
writer; politician
local politician in Manchester, England
1962-
-
Marcia Barritt
visual artist
1955-
-
Marcia Twelftree
head teacher
British headteacher
1950-
-
Marcia Gibson-Watt
visual artist
visual artist
1949-
-
Marcia Willett
writer; teacher; ballet dancer
British writer
1945-2022
-
Marcia Warren
actor; stage actor; film actor
English actress
1943-
-
Marcia Pointon
writer; university teacher; art historian
art historian
1943-
Related
Names similar to Marcia
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Marcia: questions and answers
How popular is the name Marcia in the UK right now?
In 2024, Marcia was ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Marcia most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 26 babies registered as Marcia in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Marcia?
Of Latin origin meaning "martial" or "warlike".
How many people are called Marcia in the UK?
A total of 402 babies have been registered as Marcia across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 42 more in Scotland.
Where is Marcia most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Marcia ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #793 in 2008. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.