NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Marsela

A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Mars, the Roman god of war.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2013. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Marsela is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Marsela popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2013 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5742, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2003, with 4 births.

This profile covers 13 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2000 to 2013. 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.

The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Marsela. 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 2014 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Marsela ranked #5742 for girls in England and Wales in 2013, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2003, when 4 girls were registered as Marsela.
  • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Marsela as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5742

2013

Births in 2013

3

Latest year

Peak year

2003

4 births

Estimated living

13

2026

Meaning

What does Marsela mean?

The name Marsela is believed to have its origins in the Latin language, tracing back to ancient Roman times. It is derived from the Latin word "Marcellus," which was a Roman family name. The root of "Marcellus" is thought to be "marcere," meaning "to be withered" or "to be faded."

In ancient Roman history, the name Marcellus was borne by several notable individuals, including Marcus Claudius Marcellus, a Roman consul and general who played a significant role in the Second Punic War against Carthage in the 3rd century BC. The female form, Marsela, likely emerged as a derivative during the later centuries of the Roman Empire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marsela can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Tacitus, who mentioned a woman named Marsela in his work "Annals" from the 1st century AD. However, specific details about this individual are scarce.

Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, the name Marsela remained in use, primarily in regions with strong Roman cultural influences, such as Italy and parts of the Mediterranean. In the 15th century, a notable figure named Marsela Malatesta (1370-1414) was a noblewoman from the Italian city of Rimini, known for her patronage of the arts and her involvement in the political affairs of her time.

In the 16th century, a Spanish woman named Marsela de San Román (1522-1590) gained recognition for her religious devotion and her efforts in establishing educational institutions for girls in Spain. She is venerated as a Blessed by the Catholic Church.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Marsela Abele (1656-1724), a German writer and poet from the Baroque period, who published several works of poetry and religious literature during her lifetime.

In the 19th century, Marsela Zamenhof (1843-1924) was a notable figure as the wife of L.L. Zamenhof, the creator of the constructed language Esperanto. She played a significant role in promoting and spreading the use of Esperanto alongside her husband.

These are just a few examples of individuals who carried the name Marsela throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods, albeit with varying degrees of prominence and recognition.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Marsela over time

The chart below shows babies named Marsela registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2013. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Marsela, the clearest high point is 2003. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2013, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Marsela
01234200020062013

Decades

Marsela by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Marsela 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
2010s #5764 6 2
2000s #3753 7 2

Related

Names similar to Marsela

FAQ

Marsela: questions and answers

How popular is the name Marsela in the UK right now?

In 2013, Marsela was ranked #5742 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Marsela most popular?

The peak year on record was 2003, with 4 babies registered as Marsela in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Marsela?

A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Mars, the Roman god of war.

How many people are called Marsela in the UK?

A total of 13 babies have been registered as Marsela across the 4 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.