UK boy's name
Marsel
A French form of the German name "Marcellus", derived from the Roman name "Marcus".
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.
Marsel is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Marsel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2443, with 9 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 9 births.
This profile covers 48 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 2003 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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.
Marsel is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 48 living people in the UK are called Marsel. 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
- • Marsel ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 9 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 9 boys were registered as Marsel.
- • About 48 living people in the UK are estimated to have Marsel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2443
2024
Births in 2024
9
Latest year
Peak year
2024
9 births
Estimated living
48
2026
Meaning
What does Marsel mean?
The name Marsel has its origins in the French language and culture. It is a masculine given name derived from the ancient Roman name Marcellus, which itself is a diminutive of the Latin name Marcus. The name Marcus is thought to have its roots in the ancient Italic Mars, the Roman god of war.
In early Roman history, the name Marcellus was borne by several notable figures. One of the most famous was Marcus Claudius Marcellus, a Roman consul and military leader who lived from 268 BC to 208 BC. He was a prominent figure during the Second Punic War against Carthage and was known for his victories over the Carthaginian general Hannibal.
Another historical figure with the name Marcellus was Claudius Marcellus, a Roman general and statesman who lived from around 92 BC to 40 BC. He was a supporter of Julius Caesar and played a significant role during the Roman civil wars.
The name Marsel emerged as a French variation of the Latin Marcellus during the Middle Ages. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Marsel can be found in the 12th century, when it was borne by Marsel de Lusignan, a French nobleman and military leader who participated in the Third Crusade.
During the Renaissance period, the name Marsel gained popularity among French nobility and aristocracy. A notable figure from this time was Marsel de Baccalan, a French nobleman and military commander who lived in the 16th century.
In more recent history, Marsel Dalí (1901-1982) was a Spanish surrealist painter, best known for his iconic works such as "The Persistence of Memory" and his eccentric personality. Another famous bearer of the name was Marsel Prost (1955-), a French former racing driver who won four Formula One World Championships.
Other notable individuals with the name Marsel include Marsel Huriaux (1918-1992), a French politician and member of the European Parliament, and Marsel Hirscher (1989-), an Austrian former World Cup alpine ski racer who won eight overall titles.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Marsel over time
The chart below shows babies named Marsel registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 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 Marsel, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marsel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Marsel 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 | #3380 | 28 | 5 |
| 2010s | #4323 | 14 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3950 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Marsel
- 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
Marsel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Marsel in the UK right now?
In 2024, Marsel was ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.
When was Marsel most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 9 babies registered as Marsel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Marsel?
A French form of the German name "Marcellus", derived from the Roman name "Marcus".
How many people are called Marsel in the UK?
A total of 48 babies have been registered as Marsel across the 11 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.