Marshall Boy

Popularity: #322 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MAR-shul //ˈmɑːrʃəl//

Origin: Old French; Latin

Meaning: Old French: steward; Latin: martial, relating to war

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Marshall has its roots in the Old French term "mareschal," which itself derives from the Vulgar Latin "mariscalcus," meaning "horse servant" or "stable keeper." This Latin term is a combination of "mānsuētīnus," meaning "tame," and "calx," meaning "heel" or "foot," reflecting the role of a person who cared for horses. The name entered the English language following the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, where it was adopted as a surname before transitioning into a given name in subsequent centuries.

Historically, the title of Marshall was significant in medieval society, often associated with the role of a military officer responsible for the organization of troops and the management of horses. Notably, the title was held by various noble families, including the Marshall family in England, who were prominent during the 12th and 13th centuries.

The name also appears in various historical texts, including the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, where it is used to denote a person of authority or respect. Culturally, the name Marshall has been associated with qualities of leadership and service, reflecting its origins in the equestrian and military domains.

The name has been borne by several notable figures throughout history, including John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States, who served from 1801 to 1835 and played a crucial role in establishing the principles of American constitutional law. The name's enduring presence in various forms, including the diminutive "Marsh," highlights its adaptability and continued resonance in English-speaking cultures.

Famous people named Marshall

In this section, you will find notable people named Marshall. 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 Marshall who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Marshall 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.

Marshall McLuhan was a philosopher and media theorist best known for Understanding Media, The Gutenberg Galaxy, and the concept of the global village.

Marshall Faulk is a former professional American football player best known for his time with the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams, and for being a two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Marshall Applewhite was a religious leader best known for founding the Heaven's Gate cult.

Marshall Goldsmith is an executive coach and author best known for his books What Got You Here Won't Get You There, Triggers, and Mojo.

Marshall Bruce Mathers III, known as Eminem, is a rapper and music producer best known for The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP, and Recovery.

Fictional characters named Marshall

The following list of fictional characters named Marshall 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.

Marshall Eriksen is a fictional character from the TV series How I Met Your Mother. He is a kind-hearted lawyer and one of the main characters, known for his loyalty and humor.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Marshall, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MilesMasonMalcolmMitchellMaxwellMatthew

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Marshall. 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.

MarvinMartinMarlonMasonMarcusMaddoxMaverick

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Marshall was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Marshall has ranked as high as #381 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in Texas, California, North Carolina, Illinois, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Marshall has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Marshall 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 Marshall was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

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 Marshall.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 977 977 0
2024 839 834 5
2023 821 821 0
2022 850 840 10
2021 865 860 5
2020 856 851 5
2019 873 873 0
2018 944 944 0
2017 944 938 6
2016 1,016 1,011 5
2015 1,102 1,102 0
2014 1,092 1,087 5
2013 1,001 995 6
2012 888 888 0
2011 894 894 0
2010 770 770 0
2009 735 735 0
2008 774 774 0
2007 712 712 0
2006 690 690 0
2005 640 640 0
2004 748 741 7
2003 799 799 0
2002 717 717 0
2001 786 786 0
2000 796 796 0
1999 738 738 0
1998 745 740 5
1997 743 738 5
1996 866 855 11
1995 834 824 10
1994 846 833 13
1993 897 883 14
1992 888 881 7
1991 873 850 23
1990 938 927 11
1989 858 847 11
1988 858 841 17
1987 738 727 11
1986 752 744 8
1985 723 717 6
1984 801 792 9
1983 843 834 9
1982 830 817 13
1981 843 824 19
1980 846 825 21
1979 771 758 13
1978 736 718 18
1977 703 686 17
1976 666 651 15
1975 640 621 19
1974 661 648 13
1973 637 619 18
1972 662 645 17
1971 685 675 10
1970 767 750 17
1969 747 723 24
1968 718 705 13
1967 694 675 19
1966 675 660 15
1965 803 779 24
1964 851 831 20
1963 809 780 29
1962 858 838 20
1961 924 898 26
1960 906 892 14
1959 962 945 17
1958 1,061 1,039 22
1957 1,110 1,096 14
1956 1,131 1,114 17
1955 1,132 1,106 26
1954 1,122 1,102 20
1953 1,049 1,037 12
1952 1,101 1,087 14
1951 1,098 1,080 18
1950 1,104 1,082 22
1949 1,124 1,111 13
1948 1,174 1,158 16
1947 1,283 1,269 14
1946 1,087 1,077 10
1945 984 969 15
1944 1,020 1,007 13
1943 1,028 1,020 8
1942 968 952 16
1941 882 869 13
1940 818 809 9
1939 795 782 13
1938 827 819 8
1937 814 805 9
1936 722 710 12
1935 661 661 0
1934 676 676 0
1933 680 674 6
1932 647 639 8
1931 681 667 14
1930 741 741 0
1929 704 694 10
1928 742 727 15
1927 795 787 8
1926 780 765 15
1925 839 830 9
1924 856 856 0
1923 794 781 13
1922 865 854 11
1921 906 896 10
1920 857 850 7
1919 827 817 10
1918 886 878 8
1917 787 777 10
1916 748 739 9
1915 715 715 0
1914 533 533 0
1913 426 426 0
1912 402 397 5
1911 178 178 0
1910 125 125 0
1909 134 134 0
1908 160 160 0
1907 118 118 0
1906 107 107 0
1905 119 119 0
1904 116 116 0
1903 94 94 0
1902 94 94 0
1901 67 67 0
1900 126 126 0
1899 70 70 0
1898 109 109 0
1897 82 82 0
1896 118 118 0
1895 100 100 0
1894 93 93 0
1893 98 98 0
1892 93 93 0
1891 80 80 0
1890 73 73 0
1889 77 77 0
1888 91 91 0
1887 69 69 0
1886 105 105 0
1885 78 78 0
1884 88 88 0
1883 79 79 0
1882 83 83 0
1881 56 56 0
1880 78 78 0

Top States for Marshall (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 57
7%
CA 46
6%
FL 45
6%
NC 44
6%
OH 43
5%
MI 35
4%
IN 29
4%
TN 29
4%
SC 27
3%
KY 26
3%
IL 25
3%
MO 24
3%
PA 24
3%
GA 24
3%
CO 21
3%
NY 20
3%
WI 20
3%
IA 20
3%
UT 19
2%
AL 18
2%
VA 17
2%
OK 16
2%
LA 16
2%
MN 14
2%
WA 13
2%
KS 11
1%
MA 11
1%
MD 11
1%
AR 10
1%
AZ 10
1%
MS 10
1%
OR 10
1%
ME 10
1%
NJ 9
1%
WV 8
1%
NE 7
1%
NV 6
1%
CT 5
1%
ND 5
1%
RI 5
1%