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Maricela

♀ Girl

Pronounced mah-ree-SEL-ah /ˌmɑː.ɾiˈsel.ɑː/High

Meaning: A Spanish blend of Maria (from Hebrew Miryam meaning beloved or bitter) and Celia (from Latin caelum meaning heaven or from Celia as a Roman clan name); a compound name common in Latin AmericaHigh

In 30 seconds: Maricela is a melodic Spanish compound of Maria and Celia, combining the beloved biblical name with a heavenly Latin root — warmly traditional in Latin American families, with a beautiful four-syllable flow.
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Origin HighSpanish, Latin, Hebrew
MeaningA Spanish blend of Maria (from Hebrew Miryam meaning beloved or bitter) and Celia (from Latin caelum meaning heaven or from Celia as a Roman clan name); a compound name common in Latin America
U.S. rank (2024)#3063 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births53 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1977
Total births (all-time)≈ 13,012

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197719442024

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

History & Origin

Maricela is a Spanish compound name formed from Maria (Hebrew origin, meaning beloved or star of the sea in folk etymology) and Celia (Latin, from the Roman clan name Caelius or from caelum meaning heaven). Such blended names are a distinctive feature of Catholic Latin American naming culture.

Compound Maria- names flourished particularly in 19th and 20th century Mexico and Central America, driven by religious devotion to the Virgin Mary. Maricela became especially popular in Mexico and among Mexican-American communities in the United States from the 1960s onward.

Did you know? Compound names blending Maria with another name — Maricela, Marisol, Maribel, Mariangel — are a beloved Spanish-language naming tradition rooted in Marian devotion to the Virgin Mary.
Overall data confidence 87%
Behind the Name — Maricela — compound Spanish name from Maria and CeliaU.S. Social Security Administration — Hispanic name popularity data

Variations

MariselaMaricelMaricella

Nicknames

MariCelaMarce

Famous Bearers

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If you like Maricela…

Marisol— same Maria- compound naming tradition
Maribel— fellow Maria-blend Spanish compound name
Mariangel— shares the Maria- devotional prefix pattern
Celeste— same Latin heavenly root as the Celia component

Frequently Asked

What does the name Maricela mean?

Maricela is a Spanish compound of Maria (beloved, from Hebrew Miryam) and Celia (heavenly, from Latin), popular in Latin American Catholic naming tradition.

How do you pronounce Maricela?

It is said mah-ree-SEL-ah, four syllables with stress on the third.

Is Maricela a boy or girl name?

Maricela is a girls' name.

How popular is Maricela?

Maricela is popular in Mexico, Central America, and among Hispanic communities in the United States, particularly from the 1960s onward.