UK boy's name
Marcos
A masculine name of Spanish origin meaning "warlike" or "martial".
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.
Marcos is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Marcos popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2921, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2003, with 19 births.
This profile covers 369 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 37% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 375 living people in the UK are called Marcos. 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
- • Marcos ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2003, when 19 boys were registered as Marcos.
- • Marcos ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #595 in 2007.
- • About 375 living people in the UK are estimated to have Marcos as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2921
2024
Births in 2024
7
Latest year
Peak year
2003
19 births
Estimated living
375
2026
Meaning
What does Marcos mean?
The name Marcos is a masculine given name of Greek origin, derived from the ancient Roman name Marcus. It is believed to have originated from the root word "mar," which means "to shine" or "to gleam" in Latin. The name Marcus was also associated with the Roman god Mars, the god of war and agriculture.
In ancient Rome, the name Marcus was quite popular among the upper classes and was borne by several notable figures, including the philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) and the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD). The name Marcos is a variant spelling that emerged later, particularly in Spanish-speaking regions.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Marcos can be found in the New Testament of the Bible, where it refers to John Mark, a companion of the Apostle Peter and the author of the Gospel of Mark. This connection to the Bible likely contributed to the name's popularity among early Christians.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Marcos. One of the most famous was Marco Polo (1254-1324), the Venetian merchant and explorer who traveled extensively through Asia and introduced Europeans to the wonders of the East. Another prominent figure was Marcos de Niza (1495-1558), a Franciscan friar and explorer who led expeditions in the American Southwest.
In the 16th century, the name Marcos was brought to the Americas by Spanish conquistadors and settlers. One of the most renowned individuals with this name was Marcos Obregón (1540-1584), a Spanish sailor and explorer who was one of the first Europeans to see the Gulf of California.
During the 20th century, the name Marcos gained prominence with figures such as Marcos Pérez Jiménez (1914-2001), a Venezuelan military officer and politician who served as the President of Venezuela from 1952 to 1958, and Marcos Alonso (1980-present), a Spanish professional footballer who has played for clubs like Real Madrid and Chelsea.
Throughout its history, the name Marcos has maintained its connection to its Latin and Greek roots, reflecting qualities of brightness, strength, and resilience. Its widespread use in various cultures and time periods has solidified its place as a timeless and enduring name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Marcos over time
The chart below shows babies named Marcos 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 Marcos, the clearest high point is 2003. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 19 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marcos by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Marcos 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 | #1863 | 68 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1817 | 131 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1405 | 137 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1594 | 33 | 4 |
Geography
Where Marcos is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Marcos. 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.
Marcos ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #595 in 2007.
Across the UK
Marcos in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#595 in 2007
3 years of NRS records, 9 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Marcos
-
Marcos Painter
association football player
Irish footballer
1986-
-
Marcos Gelabert
association football player
Argentine association football player
1981-
-
Marcos Lutyens
performance artist
British artist
1964-
Related
Names similar to Marcos
- Matthew 80,931
- Mohammed 74,321
- Muhammad 72,235
- Max 59,807
- Michael 47,075
- Mason 38,935
- Mohammad 25,910
- Morgan 15,994
- Muhammed 11,527
- Mark 11,336
- Marcus 11,257
- Maxwell 10,006
FAQ
Marcos: questions and answers
How popular is the name Marcos in the UK right now?
In 2024, Marcos was ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.
When was Marcos most popular?
The peak year on record was 2003, with 19 babies registered as Marcos in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Marcos?
A masculine name of Spanish origin meaning "warlike" or "martial".
How many people are called Marcos in the UK?
A total of 369 babies have been registered as Marcos across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 9 more in Scotland.
Where is Marcos most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Marcos ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #595 in 2007. 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.