How to say it
mar · CE · lo
/mɑːrˈsɛl.oʊ/
Masculine
Marcelo
Little Marcus, of Mars
What it means
The Spanish and Portuguese form of Marcellus, a diminutive of Marcus, from Mars, the god of war.
Marcelo is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the Roman Marcellus, a little-one form of Marcus, which traces to Mars, the god of war. It is hugely popular across Latin America and Brazil, carried by the Brazilian World Cup footballer Marcelo. It is a cousin of Marcus, Marco, and Marcos, and shortens to Marce or Chelo. Marcello is the Italian double-l form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #399 in 2025, currently #399 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Marce and Chelo are the shorts.
- Worth knowing
A staple across Latino and Brazilian communities; cousin of Marcus.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Marcelo Brazilian World Cup-winning footballer
Spelling variants
- Marcello
- Marcelino
- Marcel
Names with the same feeling
See Marcelo from another angle
By style