Marcela Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: mar-SEL-ah //mɑːrˈsɛl.ə//
Origin: Latin; Spanish; Portuguese
Meaning: Latin: young warrior; Spanish: dedicated to Mars
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Marcela has its roots in the Latin name "Marcellus," which is a diminutive form of "Marcus." The Latin "Marcus" itself is derived from the name of the Roman god of war, Mars, suggesting meanings associated with strength and masculinity. The transition from "Marcellus" to "Marcela" occurred through the adaptation of the name in various languages, particularly in the context of Romance languages, where feminine forms of masculine names are common.
In this case, the suffix "-a" was added to create a feminine variant, leading to the modern form "Marcela." Historically, the name Marcela has been borne by various notable figures, including saints and literary characters. One significant historical milestone is the veneration of Saint Marcellus, a pope in the early Christian church during the 3rd century, who is recognized in the Roman Catholic tradition.
His legacy contributed to the name's association with piety and leadership. Additionally, the name appears in various works of literature, including the writings of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes in the early 17th century, where it was used to denote characters of virtue and strength.
Culturally, the name Marcela has resonated in various societies, particularly in Spanish-speaking countries, where it is often associated with qualities such as resilience and grace. The name's enduring appeal can be attributed to its historical roots and the positive attributes linked to its etymology.
Furthermore, diminutive forms such as "Marce" have emerged in different cultures, reflecting a sense of affection and familiarity. Overall, Marcela embodies a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution, historical significance, and cultural resonance.
Famous people named Marcela
In this section, you will find notable people named Marcela. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Marcela who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Marcela who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Marcela Valladolid is a chef and television personality best known for The Kitchen, Mexican Made Easy, and her cookbooks.
Fictional characters named Marcela
The following list of fictional characters named Marcela is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Marcela is a fictional character from the telenovela La Usurpadora. She is a key figure in the story, involved in the complex relationships and conflicts surrounding the main characters.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Marcela, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Marcela. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Marcela was first seen in the United States in 1908.
Marcela has ranked as high as #1088 nationally, which occurred in 1999, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Marcela has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Marcela is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Marcela was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Marcela (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 37 | |
| CA | 25 | |
| FL | 21 | |
| IL | 6 | |
| NY | 5 | |
| PA | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Marcela.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 148 |
| 2023 | 145 |
| 2022 | 115 |
| 2021 | 129 |
| 2020 | 105 |
| 2019 | 141 |
| 2018 | 132 |
| 2017 | 108 |
| 2016 | 127 |
| 2015 | 103 |
| 2014 | 112 |
| 2013 | 114 |
| 2012 | 119 |
| 2011 | 110 |
| 2010 | 122 |
| 2009 | 137 |
| 2008 | 175 |
| 2007 | 163 |
| 2006 | 174 |
| 2005 | 179 |
| 2004 | 206 |
| 2003 | 201 |
| 2002 | 178 |
| 2001 | 199 |
| 2000 | 164 |
| 1999 | 210 |
| 1998 | 179 |
| 1997 | 146 |
| 1996 | 183 |
| 1995 | 178 |
| 1994 | 181 |
| 1993 | 159 |
| 1992 | 194 |
| 1991 | 201 |
| 1990 | 171 |
| 1989 | 163 |
| 1988 | 156 |
| 1987 | 145 |
| 1986 | 143 |
| 1985 | 142 |
| 1984 | 127 |
| 1983 | 104 |
| 1982 | 141 |
| 1981 | 140 |
| 1980 | 131 |
| 1979 | 123 |
| 1978 | 125 |
| 1977 | 118 |
| 1976 | 100 |
| 1975 | 100 |
| 1974 | 101 |
| 1973 | 89 |
| 1972 | 73 |
| 1971 | 62 |
| 1970 | 84 |
| 1969 | 52 |
| 1968 | 64 |
| 1967 | 49 |
| 1966 | 52 |
| 1965 | 21 |
| 1964 | 27 |
| 1963 | 38 |
| 1962 | 44 |
| 1961 | 27 |
| 1960 | 34 |
| 1959 | 17 |
| 1958 | 27 |
| 1957 | 17 |
| 1956 | 19 |
| 1955 | 11 |
| 1954 | 13 |
| 1953 | 21 |
| 1952 | 14 |
| 1951 | 10 |
| 1950 | 7 |
| 1949 | 12 |
| 1948 | 10 |
| 1947 | 18 |
| 1946 | 14 |
| 1945 | 7 |
| 1944 | 7 |
| 1943 | 12 |
| 1942 | 9 |
| 1941 | 16 |
| 1940 | 15 |
| 1939 | 8 |
| 1938 | 9 |
| 1937 | 6 |
| 1936 | 12 |
| 1935 | 13 |
| 1934 | 17 |
| 1933 | 19 |
| 1932 | 13 |
| 1931 | 15 |
| 1930 | 17 |
| 1929 | 23 |
| 1928 | 16 |
| 1927 | 18 |
| 1926 | 14 |
| 1925 | 22 |
| 1924 | 28 |
| 1923 | 14 |
| 1922 | 23 |
| 1921 | 9 |
| 1920 | 15 |
| 1919 | 8 |
| 1918 | 14 |
| 1917 | 9 |
| 1915 | 7 |
| 1908 | 9 |