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Home › Baby Names Directory › Marcela

Marcela

♀ Girl

Pronounced mar-SEH-lah /maɹˈsɛ.lə/Medium

Meaning: Feminine form of Marcellus/Marcus, derived from the name of the Roman god Mars; often interpreted as 'dedicated to Mars' or 'warlike'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Marcela is a girl's name of Latin origin, a feminine form of Marcellus and Marcus.
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Origin MediumLatin, Spanish, Portuguese
MeaningFeminine form of Marcellus/Marcus, derived from the name of the Roman god Mars; often interpreted as 'dedicated to Mars' or 'warlike'.
U.S. rank (2025)#1554 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births136 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1999
Total births (all-time)≈ 8,953

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199919082025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Rooted in Latin, Marcela is the feminine form of Marcellus and Marcus, names tied to the Roman god Mars. Because of that link it is often read as 'dedicated to Mars' or 'warlike'. It has long circulated across Romance-language cultures.

Related spellings such as Marcella, Marcelle, and Marčela show how the name adapts to French, Italian, and Slavic spelling conventions. The soft ending gives it a graceful counterweight to its martial roots.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Marcela is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Marcela — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

MarčelaMarcèlaMarcellaMarcelleMarcellette

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Marcela Valladolid (1978-)
    American chef, author and Food Network television host

If you like Marcela…

Marcella— The double-l Latin form of the same feminine name from Marcus.
Marcus— The masculine Roman name that Marcela is the feminine form of.
Micaela— a similarly popular pick
Marbella— lands in the same popularity range
Manuela— another Portuguese name

Explore names like Marcela

By themespanishportuguese
By meaningGod / DivineWarrior

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Marcela mean?

Marcela is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with Spanish tradition.

How do you pronounce Marcela?

It's commonly said mar-SEH-lah /maɹˈsɛ.lə/.

Is Marcela a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Marcela is used as a girl name.

How popular is Marcela?

In 2024, Marcela ranked #1472 in the U.S. for girls, with 148 births recorded.

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