Meaning & Origin
A female given name from Latin.
Marcella is a girl's and boy's baby name of Latin origin, the feminine diminutive of Marcellus, itself from Marcus, derived from the Roman god Mars — meaning 'of Mars' or 'warlike.'
Saint Marcella of Rome, a 4th-century noblewoman who turned her palace into a monastery and became a pioneering female biblical scholar, gave this name an early association with intellect and devotion. Marcella has a warm Italian-Roman elegance — formal yet approachable, with the easy nickname Marcy available. It has been quietly consistent in the United States throughout the 20th century and is now attracting renewed attention from parents seeking classic names with genuine history.