Where does the name Marcus come from?

Marcus is a boy name of Latin origin.

Is Marcus a boy or a girl name?

Marcus is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Marcus are girls and 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Marcus in 2023?

Marcus ranks #250 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1984 with 6,060 babies.

How do you pronounce Marcus?

Marcus is pronounced MAR-kus (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Marcus?

Marcus is also written as Marco, Mark, Markus.

A name from Latin · Boy

Marcus

A Roman praenomen — one of the most common male names of the Republic — probably dedicated to Mars, the god of war. The author of the second canonical gospel.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

238,934 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

1,400 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

MA Roman praenomen — one of the most common male names of the Republic — probably dedicated to Mars, the god of war. The author of the second canonical gospel.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Marcus".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Marco Most common Mark Markus

Quick answers

People often ask about Marcus.

What does the name Marcus mean?: Marcus means a Roman praenomen — one of the most common male names of the Republic — probably dedicated to Mars, the god of war. The author of the second canonical gospel.
Where does the name Marcus come from?: Marcus is a boy name of Latin origin.
Is Marcus a boy or a girl name?: Marcus is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Marcus are girls and 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Marcus in 2023?: Marcus ranks #250 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1984 with 6,060 babies.
How do you pronounce Marcus?: Marcus is pronounced MAR-kus (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Marcus?: Marcus is also written as Marco, Mark, Markus.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.