How Many People Are Named Marvell?
An estimated 1,112 people in the United States have the first name Marvell. It is used for both genders, with 78.0% male. The average bearer is 38 years old, and Marvell peaked in popularity in 2007 with 33 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Marvell as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, state-by-state birth registrations, and, when available, a 2020 Census snapshot showing who had the name at that point in time. You can also check how many people share the full name Marvell paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- Marvell has shifted from predominantly female to increasingly male in recent decades.
Estimated Living Americans
1,112
About 1 in 308,232 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Rare
Predicted Gender
Male
78.0% confidence
Average Age
38
years old
Peak Year
2007
33 births
Total Registered
1,470
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Marvell
Marvell is a genuinely unisex name, used for both males (78.0%) and females (22.0%). Out of 1,470 total births registered, 1,147 were male and 323 were female.
Marvell as a male name
Ranked #8,703 in 2024
9 male births in 2024
Peak: 2007 (33 births)
Marvell as a female name
Ranked #9,091 in 1972
5 female births in 1972
Peak: 1926 (15 births)
Marvell in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 980 people with the first name Marvell, which placed it at #12,629 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The estimated living count elsewhere on this page is different: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two figures are not expected to match exactly.
Read this section as a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The SSA charts elsewhere on this page are still the better way to see how the name rose, fell, or shifted across generations.
Gender in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, Marvell was recorded as predominantly male. Out of 980 people with this name in that snapshot, 81.1% were male and 18.9% were female. That is very close to the long-run birth pattern in SSA records, where the name is male 78.0% of the time.
Census Count
980
people with this name
Census Rank
#12,629
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
0.32
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Marvell was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Black (80.12%). The next largest recorded groups were White (9.28%) and Hispanic (4.89%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Marvell in the 2020 Census. They do not tell you the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
2020 Census demographic breakdown
Each row shows a recorded Census category for people with the first name Marvell.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 80.12% | 786 |
| White | 9.28% | 91 |
| Hispanic | 4.89% | 48 |
| Two or More Races | 4.38% | 43 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.92% | 9 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.41% | 4 |
The Census published separate sex and race/origin tables for first names, so their total counts can differ slightly for the same name. That is why the race section focuses on the demographic mix rather than repeating a second headline count.
Marvell: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Marvell span from the 1910s to the 2020s, covering 12 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 2000s, when 204 babies were registered. Marvell has declined significantly from its peak in the 2000s. Recent registrations are a fraction of what they were at the name's height.
Marvell by Decade
How has Marvell tracked across different eras? The table below groups all SSA birth registrations into 10-year periods, with separate male and female counts. The colored bar shows each decade's share relative to the peak.
Marvell by State
Birth registrations for Marvell span all 4 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in Illinois, Wisconsin, Tennessee. The lowest are in Mississippi, Tennessee, Wisconsin. On average, about 37 Marvells were registered per state.
Marvell + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Marvell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Marvell
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
Marvell: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Marvell?
We estimate approximately 1,112 people named Marvell are alive in the United States today. This is based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024, adjusted for mortality using CDC life tables. About 1 in 308,232 Americans share this first name.
Is Marvell a common name?
Marvell is classified as "Rare" and is more popular than 90.8% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 1,470 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Marvell most popular?
Marvell reached peak popularity in 2007, when 33 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Marvell is approximately 38 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Marvell in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 980 people with the first name Marvell. That placed it at #12,629 in the published Census first-name tables, or 0.32 people per 100,000.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census number is a count of people with the name in 2020. The living estimate is a current model based on SSA birth records and survival rates, so it aims to estimate how many people with the name are alive now.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The popularity chart tracks birth registrations, not people currently alive. It shows how often Marvell was given to babies from 1880 through 2024, which is why it is the best tool on the page for seeing long-run naming trends.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Marvell?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Marvell was recorded as predominantly male. The published split was 81.1% male and 18.9% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Marvell?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Marvell was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Black (80.12%). The next largest recorded groups were White (9.28%) and Hispanic (4.89%). These percentages describe the people who had the name in the 2020 Census, not the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census published separate first-name tables for sex and for race and Hispanic origin. Those totals can differ slightly for the same name, so the page uses them as two related snapshots rather than treating them as perfectly interchangeable counts.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name tables only include names that met the Bureau's publication rules. That means some names on this site will have SSA history but no published Census demographic snapshot.
Is Marvell a male name?
Marvell is predominantly male. 78.0% of people with this name are male. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Marvell have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because a name can build up a large population over many decades. Marvell peaked in 2007, and the average living bearer is about 38 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Marvell Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Marvell Smith, Marvell Johnson, Marvell Williams. You can also search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this data come from?
Our estimates use Social Security Administration birth records (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables broken down by sex. The U.S. population figure (342,754,338) is from the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate. Full methodology.
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