UK name, mostly boys
Marvel
A name likely inspired by the sense of "something wonderful or astonishing".
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.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 16 girls.
Marvel is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Marvel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2088, with 11 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 11 births.
This profile covers 47 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 2007 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.
Marvel is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 47 living people in the UK are called Marvel. 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
- • Marvel ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 11 boys were registered as Marvel.
- • Marvel is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 47 living people in the UK are estimated to have Marvel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 74.6% of Marvel registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2088
2024
Births in 2024
11
Latest year
Peak year
2024
11 births
Estimated living
47
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Marvel
In England and Wales birth records, Marvel has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 74.6% of registrations are for boys and 25.4% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Marvel registered for boys
- Ranked #2,088 in 2024
- 11 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (11 births)
Marvel registered for girls
- Ranked #4,192 in 2024
- 5 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (5 births)
Meaning
What does Marvel mean?
The name Marvel has its origins in the Latin word "mirabilis," which means "wonderful" or "marvelous." This name was likely first used during the early days of the Roman Empire, around the 1st century AD.
In ancient Roman texts and records, the word "mirabilis" was often used to describe something extraordinary or awe-inspiring. It's believed that the name Marvel was derived from this word and initially given to children as a way to express the parents' sense of wonder and joy at their birth.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Marvel can be found in the writings of the Roman philosopher and statesman, Seneca the Younger, who lived from 4 BC to 65 AD. He refers to a man named Marvel in one of his letters, suggesting that the name was in use during that time period.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Marvel remained relatively rare, but it did appear in various historical documents and records across Europe. For instance, a French nobleman named Marvel de Montfort is mentioned in the chronicles of the Crusades in the 12th century.
In the Renaissance period, the name Marvel gained some popularity, particularly in Italy. One notable figure from this era was Marvel Vettori, an Italian humanist and scholar who lived from 1435 to 1516. He was known for his work translating and commenting on ancient Greek texts.
During the 17th century, the name Marvel was occasionally used in England and other parts of the British Isles. One example is Marvel Westrop, an English landowner and politician who lived from 1620 to 1692.
In the 19th century, the name Marvel experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly in the United States. One famous individual with this name was Marvel Mills, an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois from 1873 to 1877.
Another notable figure was Marvel Woodbury, an American businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1834 to 1913. He made a fortune in the textile industry and donated significant funds to various educational and cultural institutions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Marvel over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Marvel in England and Wales, 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 Marvel, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marvel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Marvel 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 | #3222 | 31 | 5 |
| 2010s | #4440 | 10 | 3 |
| 2000s | #4383 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Marvel
- 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
Marvel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Marvel in the UK right now?
In 2024, Marvel was ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Marvel most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 11 babies registered as Marvel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Marvel?
A name likely inspired by the sense of "something wonderful or astonishing".
How many people are called Marvel in the UK?
A total of 47 babies have been registered as Marvel across the 10 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.