As many of you do on Twitter, Paul periodically brings me samples of interesting names he’s heard in the wild. Last night’s was a name he saw on an old newspaper clipping of a woman and a baby; underneath the clipper it said something like “Marvel Smith and her baby daughter.”
There are several things that make me enthusiastic about this name, despite it not being my personal naming style. The first is the association with Marvel Comics, which seems like it puts the name nicely into the category of names relating to science fiction, video games, and comic books. When I searched online for “Marvel Smith,” trying to find the clipping Paul saw, I found there is also a pro-football association with the name. I suspect there are many parents who would find it useful to lean on these selling points, if they loved the name but the other parent was not immediately sold.
The second is that it’s a positive noun name. There were 769 new baby girls and 13 new baby boys named Miracle in 2015; the name Marvel takes this concept down a notch while still being very flattering.
The third is all the name-like sounds. It shares sounds with (among others): Marvin, Marshall, Marcel, Marlon, Harvey, Martin, Marlin, Marcus, Margaret, Margo, Martha, Marley, Marlowe, Mario, Lamar, Evelyn, Velma—and of course all the -el and -elle names.
The current U.S. usage of the name is low and unisex: there were 14 new baby girls and 17 new baby boys given the name in 2015.
To me, Marvel seems like a nice choice for parents looking for a surprising/unusual unisex noun name with positive associations. What do you think of it?
Interesting in a positive way.
Agree – not my style, but I could see this name on a variety of people in a variety of positions. It does tend toward feminine to me.
Has an old English/northeastern/Puritian vibe
This name reminds me of a naming “mistake” associated with my birth. Whoever sent the birth announcement into the paper had poor hand writing. When the announcement appeared, it stated that Mr. and Mrs. Etc had named their baby daughter Dazle, sic Dazzle. The real name — which I always hated and changed when I was 40 — was Gayle.
Give that my parents were fairly typical Midwesterners who taught hiding one’s light under a basket for modesty’s sake, Dazzle was totally out of character. One way or another, I’m quite certain I would have no more enjoyed growing up as Dazzle than I did as Gayle.
My mind immediately went to Marvel Cave, a registered national landmark located in Silver Dollar City- an amusement park in Branson, Missouri. I’m guessing I’m the only commenter who would know that since I grew up in southern Missouri.
I would prefer Mabel over Marvel and I would almost lean toward Marvel sounding more masculine than feminine.
At our former church, there was an elderly couple named Bezell (BEEzel) and Marvelle (MARvelle). Best said with a Southern accent, natch.
I used to work with an older woman named Marvel. I like it!
I personally cannot get beyond the comic book connection, so not to my taste. BUT it reminds me of a name I heard on an older lady that I actually like a lot: Revel
It’s interesting how my perception of a name can differ based on who’s wearing it. When I first read the headline I thought of the comics and that it’s way to trendy, I don’t like it. Then when I read the post and envisioned an elderly lady with the name I could totally see it working, I actually like it!
I still don’t think I would use it, but I can see it working especially for a girl.
Although I’m mostly on team classical sounding names with a nod to nature names, Marvel hits me hard in the category of names that are hard to pronounce. So many hard consonants! That rvel is going to be hard for most kids under 5, and I suspect many non English speakers. I’d keep looking.
When I read “Marvel and her baby” something in me wanted to read it as Minerva. When I read the headline I pictured a little boy running around with his friends Fox and Eben so I suppose I hear it as an on-trend choice. I’m not sure i could personally be ok with the possibility of it being shortened to Marv.
I have a little girl named Millicent Marvel so, yes, I’m a fan! Marvel is a French name meaning “miracle”. I also know of a boy named Marvel. I love the name but dislike the comic association though it comes with the territory.
So, is the french pronunciation “mar-VELLE” or still “MAR-velle”?
I can totally see this as a crossover name, it’s surprising but delicate with the French accent on the last syllable.
The French pronunciation is Mar-VELLE, but we use the regular English pronunciation…
As a first name, I just can’t do it. It initially reads “comic book” which seems too juvenile for a name, and then it reads sort of arrogant like, “Oh, this person is a marvel, huh?” It would be a pretty neat middle name, though. In the middle name slot the comic book association seems sort of fun, particularly if the parents are comics geeks.
So funny that this is today’s post because I just worked with a volunteer yesterday named Marvella and I kind of fell in love with her name! Pretty and strong, unusual but easy to pronounce…I can’t imagine using it myself but I really really like it.
I know a young girl with a very classic traditional first name, and Marvel is her middle name. I think it’s great, like a secret identity.
In the Hayley Mills movie The Trouble with Angels, there’s a character named Marvel Ann. That’s what I first thought of.
I came to comment about this very movie/character! Love Trouble with Angels! Marvel Ann was kind of whiny, so the name takes on that connotation for me.
Marvel was used in the first Hunger Games book for a boy. I think it is an interesting choice, we actually named one of our pets Marvel. We call him Marve which makes me chuckle. It strikes me as a more masculine name. I don’t think I would use it personally, but I wouldn’t find it odd if I were to hear it on a little boy.
My first reaction to Marvel is laughter. I have a hard time taking it seriously, because of Marvel Comics. If it weren’t for the comics, I wouldn’t have a problem with it. I do like Marvelle for a girl though.
I immediately assumed it was a male name due to the comic connection (hello, entrenched gender bias! dangit!!) but love the thought of a little old lady named Marvel. However I think the nickname of “Marv” would kill it for me as well – I agree with Squirrel Bait that I could get more on board with it as a middle.
I immediately thought boy, like Marvin.
When my parents were newlyweds and then had small children, they were friends with an elderly couple who lived across the street from them named Bill and Marvel (same pronunciation as the comics). So it does read very old-fashioned woman’s name to me. If I heard it on a baby, I think I would associate it more with the comics.
I love it!
Oh gosh, no. Marvel comics and all the movies they are making recently? I would immediately text that to my sister to add to our list of ‘most ridiculous names we’ve ever heard in the wild’.
I have heard it before for older ladies with the emphases on the second syllable. MarVel not like the comic book Marvel.
I don’t like it at all… perhaps if it was pronounced Mar-VELLE and not MAR-vill it would be okay.
Marvel Comics is all I can think of.
Marvel Comics.
Marvel Comics.
Marvel Comics.
I kind of like it. I don’t know that I would pick it, but I would warm to it quickly on the right person. Seems more feminine to me. And the comics connection doesn’t bother me as much as it possibly being mispronounced mar-VELLE, a name I don’t care for (and associate with older southern ladies for some reason?)
Hmm, on second thought I’m pretty put off by the nickname Marv, which seems inevitable. Similar to my love for the name Marjorie, but hatred of the unavoidable nn Marge.
I would assume a modern day Marjorie would go by Jorie/Jory.
While I am aware of Marvel Comics, it would read to me (at least on a female baby/person) as “miraculous” – what a marvel. I marvel at the wonder of it. Like that. Kind of like old school virtue names (Patience, Chastity, etc.) but also kind of like popular Diamond or Neveah type names – meant to indicate the special-ness of the baby.
I don’t think I would choose it (and I just found I’m Pregnant!!) but I think I might like it on somebody else.
Congratulations! Were you born on Christmas, Natalie? Because your name suits your current situation!
When I first heard of Marvel as a name I viewed it as a very trendy, Marvel Comics/Hunger Games-inspired choice. Learning that it has a history as an old-fashioned women’s name makes me take it more seriously, but I think I would still assume that a young Marvel’s parents were going for the cool/trendy factor, which I’m not personally a big fan of.
That being said, I know a couple who are into comics and super heroes who recently named their son Maverick (a name that seems to fall into a similar category as Marvel with a similar sound), and I think I prefer Marvel to Maverick in that case.
I have a friend named Marvel – my first thought when I met her was something along the lines of “that’s a lot of name to live up to.” I think it’s a lovely name, probably because I have such a positive association with it. It is weird – while I don’t remember the story, I do know that her siblings all have super traditional names.
Yuck. I don’t like the comic tie, which is STRONG. And I really dislike “special-snowflake” names (sorry, I hate that term, but can’t think of what else to use), like Miracle, Heavenly, Precious, Angel, etc. Also, of leans very male to me, especially with the inevitable Marv nickname.
However, it is pleasing to me think of an older woman with the name MarVELLE. ;)
This screams Hunger Games to me in every way. Although, I do like the nickname of Marv.
I went straight to Hunger Games also. It’s not my style… though I loved the Hunger Games books…
I know a girl named Marvel, and it works great in practice. Granted, she lives in a fairly liberal/progressive part of the country which probably helps. She was named after Marvel Cooke, a civil rights activist.
I love it. If I was in a position, I would consider using it (though I’m pretty sure my spouse would veto).
I read it in the title as a male name and it immediately makes me think of comic books. Which I agree can work with the nerdy/video game/sci-fi names.
Wasn’t “Marvel” Ann a character in a Hayley Mills movie? The Trouble With Angels?
There’s a doctor in Nashville whose first name is “Wonder”. I think Wonder would be a good sibling name for Marvel…
I have a great aunt named Marvalene…which was the first thing I thought of when I read this!