Meaning of Marcus and Origin

The name Marcus in the Scottish Gaelic meaning is the “hammer” which has grown in popularity since within this region since the 1990s. It is considered one of the stronger more masculine names to be given. It is also considered to be an honoring to the Roman God Mars who was known as the God of War in pre-Christian times.

The popularity of Marcus

Marcus has been in the top 100 charts for baby names in Australia, Canada, England, Scotland, Sweden, and Wales since the 1990s and in the top 200 in the United States since the1960s.

In Scotland, in 2017 it was ranked as 134th on the popular boy names list. It was first recorded as a surname in Germany around 1390 AAD. and has been associated with religious icons in Itay, France, and Spain since around 1000 A.D. There are a couple of variations of this name, Markus and Markes; the common nickname is Mark.

People Called Marcus

There are several historical people with Marcus as a first or surname. Here are a few to mention: Marcus Aurelius: Roman Emperor (161 A.D. – 180 A.D.), Marcus Rashford: Professional English Foward Footballer (2016 – current), Marcus Bent: Former Professional English Foward Footballer (1995-2011), and Marcus Mumford: Singer/Songwriter for Mumford and Sons (1987-current)

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys’ names.