Holding steady.
Popularity of Marthella since 1916
Babies named Marthella per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 16 |
| 1920s | 40 |
| 1930s | 26 |
| 1940s | 29 |
| 1950s | 5 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Marthella is a rare American coinage from the early 20th century, blending the classic name Martha with the popular diminutive suffix -ella. First recorded in 1916, it reached its peak popularity in 1930, though even then it remained uncommon. The name's trajectory has been stable over the decades, meaning it has never experienced a dramatic rise or fall in usage. As of 2025, Marthella is still given to a handful of baby girls each year, preserving its status as a distinctive and seldom-heard choice. While its origins are clearly modern English, the component Martha gives it an ancient lineage, and the -ella ending aligns it with a host of other feminine names from the same era, such as Marcella and Louella.
Marthella appears to be a 20th-century American invention, formed by combining Martha (from Aramaic 'lady, mistress') with the fashionable feminine suffix -ella. It first appears in U.S. records in 1916, peaked in 1930, and has remained in rare but steady use since. No known historical or literary antecedents exist.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Marti, Ella, Marty
Sibling names for Marthella
Names that share Marthella's style, for a brother or sister.
