Namewise

Madeline vs Marcella

Madeline and Marcellacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Madeline was ranked #305 and Marcella #2000 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Madeline was ranked #555 and Marcella #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Madeline and Marcella over time

Madeline and Marcella appear together in 2 published lists, across 64 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Madeline reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Marcella in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Madeline and Marcella changed places 9 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2023, ending at #555 and #856.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Madeline and Marcella were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 35 years, from 1964 to 2023, ending at #555 and #856.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Madeline #140 in 1964, Marcella #138 in 1964.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #140 and #138 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2023 they were #555 and #856.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls35 shared years, 19642023

    Madeline held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Marcella in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Madeline #140 in 1964, Marcella #138 in 1964.

    The order changed in 2021: Madeline moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #876 and #876; by 2021 that had become #464 and #764.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Madeline #555, Marcella #856.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Madeline held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Marcella in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Madeline #110 in 2003, Marcella #1259 in 2021.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Madeline #305, Marcella #2000.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Madeline, Marcella
FieldMadelineMarcella
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables43
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #544 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2000 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/10060/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Madeline has 4 syllables, compared with 3 for Marcella.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.

How each name got here

Madeline

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #140 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1992–2019

    Highest recorded position: #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1997 (recorded 1992–2019).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #544 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Marcella

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #138 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2023

    Highest recorded position: #138 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2023).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #2000 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls