Marcelle is a feminine given name of French origin. It was coined by the French writer Alfred de Musset in his play "Fantasio" (1834), where he used it as the name for a girl who lived in an imaginary kingdom called Fantasmondo. Marcelle is derived from the Latin male name Marcus, which means "dedicated to Mars," the Roman god of war.
The name Marcelle became popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in France, but it has since declined in usage. Today, it is considered a vintage or traditional French name that is not commonly used for newborn girls. However, some parents may still choose this name for its unique sound and historical significance.
In English-speaking countries, Marcelle is sometimes spelled as Marcelina or Marceline to make it more feminine, but these variants are also relatively rare. Overall, Marcelle remains a distinctive and uncommon name with a rich history and French heritage.
The name Marcelle has seen a varied history of popularity over the past century in the United States. With an initial spike in births in the late 1910s and early 1920s, ranging from 5 to 6 births per year, the name Marcelle experienced its most significant period of popularity during the 1970s.
Throughout this decade, there were consistently high numbers of newborn girls named Marcelle each year, with a peak of 17 births in 1974. This trend continued into the early 1980s, with birth counts ranging from 6 to 14 per year.
However, as time progressed, the popularity of the name Marcelle began to decline. Between the mid-1980s and late 2000s, there were around 5 to 11 births each year, indicating a steady but noticeable decrease in its usage.
More recently, from 2004 onwards, the name Marcelle has seen even fewer newborn girls receiving this name. Despite some fluctuations, with peaks of 10 births in 2000 and 2002 as well as 9 births in 2012, the overall trend shows a continued decrease in popularity.
Over the past decade (2011-2022), there have been fewer than 10 births each year for the name Marcelle. In fact, the most recent data available indicates that only 6 girls were named Marcelle in both 2021 and 2022.
In conclusion, while the name Marcelle once enjoyed significant popularity during the mid-20th century, particularly in the 1970s, its usage has steadily declined over time. Today, it is far less common than it was several decades ago.