Holding steady, #11,932 for girls today.
Popularity of Marcellina since 1915
Babies named Marcellina per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 6 |
| 1920s | 11 |
| 1930s | 11 |
| 1940s | 8 |
| 1950s | 6 |
| 1960s | 22 |
| 1970s | 124 |
| 1980s | 51 |
| 1990s | 21 |
| 2000s | 5 |
| 2010s | 11 |
| 2020s | 23 |
Meaning & origin
Marcellina is a delicate Italian and Polish diminutive that has appeared sporadically in U.S. birth records since at least 1915, but never with high frequency. Its peak popularity occurred in 1976, when it reached its highest rank. In 2023, only about 1 in 229,610 girls received the name, placing it near the bottom of the Social Security list. The name has a stable trajectory, neither surging nor declining significantly. While not concentrated in any particular state, Marcellina carries the romantic, melodic quality common to Italian feminine names, and its connection to the ancient Roman name Marcellus gives it a subtle classical weight.
Marcellina is the feminine diminutive of Marcello, the Italian form of Marcellus, a Roman cognomen derived from Marcus. Marcus itself is believed to be connected to Mars, the Roman god of war, though the exact etymology is debated. The name has been used across Italy and Poland, where it is sometimes spelled Marcelina, and has seen modest but consistent use in the United States since the early 20th century.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Marcy, Lina, Marcie
Variants: Marcelina, Marcelline
Sibling names for Marcellina
Names that share Marcellina's style, for a brother or sister.
