How to say it
MAR · shall
/ˈmɑːr.ʃəl/
Masculine
Marshall
Horse-servant, then commander
What it means
From a Norman French word that began as 'horse-servant' and rose to mean a high military or court official, a marshal.
Marshall comes from a Norman French occupational word that started humble, 'one who tends horses,' and climbed all the way to 'marshal,' a top military or court rank. As a surname turned first name it reads commanding and a little vintage. Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem, is the modern face of it, and Marshall amplifiers add a rock-and-roll edge. Marsh is the rare short.
Popularity over time
peaked at #132 in 1886, currently #340 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
- Spelling
Marshall and Marshal both appear; the double-l is the usual given-name form.
- Pop culture
Marshall Mathers (Eminem) and the Marshall amplifier brand.
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.
- Marshall Mathers the rapper Eminem
- Thurgood Marshall first Black US Supreme Court justice (as a surname)
Spelling variants
- Marshal
- Marshell
Names with the same feeling
See Marshall from another angle
By style