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Home › Baby Names Directory › Martel

Martel

♂ Boy

Pronounced mar-TEL /mɑrˈtɛl/Medium

Meaning: From the French surname Martel, 'a hammer; a little hammer' (Charles Martel, 'Charles the Hammer'); a surname-name; we note the surnameLow

In 30 seconds: A hammer; a little hammer: Martel is a French surname. Crisp, bold, and warm (said 'mar-TEL').
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Origin LowFrench
MeaningFrom the French surname Martel, 'a hammer; a little hammer' (Charles Martel, 'Charles the Hammer'); a surname-name; we note the surname
U.S. rank (2025)#10313 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1991
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,696

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199119202025

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

Martel comes from the French surname Martel, 'a hammer; a little hammer' (Charles Martel, 'Charles the Hammer'; a surname-name; we note the surname). A crisp, bold name (said 'mar-TEL').

In the U.S. it appears as a surname-name. Rare, a-hammer at the root, and bold.

Did you know? Martel means 'a hammer; a little hammer' (Charles Martel, 'Charles the Hammer') — a crisp, bold French surname-name (we note the surname; said 'mar-TEL').
Overall data confidence 34%
References — Martel — surname-name

Variations

MartellMartelle

Nicknames

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If you like Martel…

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Darnell— a fellow -ell boys' name
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Explore names like Martel

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Martel mean?

Martel is a French surname, 'a hammer; a little hammer' (Charles Martel, 'the Hammer'). We note the surname.

How do you pronounce Martel?

It's said mar-TEL /mɑrˈtɛl/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Martel a boy or girl name?

Martel is a boy's name.

How popular is Martel?

Martel is a very rare name in the U.S.

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