Marquis
Marquis was the 1672nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 99 babies. Its best year was 1990, when it ranked 258th with 1,037 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 744 places. More babies were named Marquis in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Meaning marquis (noble title) · French
Say it mar-KEE /mɑrˈki/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,672 boys, down 521 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 99boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19901,037 babies
- Total since 1880
- 25,041babies recorded
What does the name Marquis mean?
Marquis is a French noble title, borrowed into English, for a nobleman ranking above a count (in Britain, marquess). Like other title names such as Earl and Duke, it became a surname and later a first name. Wikipedia notes its use as both. In the US it was most popular in the 1990s and 2000s; Marques and Markese are related American spellings.
marquis (French, “marquess (noble title)”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Marques, Markese, Marcus.
See also: French names, names that mean noble.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Marquis', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Marquis (name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Marquis popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 474 since 1970.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,672 | 99 |
| 2020 | #1,151 | 169 |
| 2010 | #644 | 375 |
| 2000 | #422 | 586 |
| 1990 | #258 | 1,037 |
| 1980 | #476 | 311 |
| 1970 | #865 | 87 |
| 1960 | #2,391 | 13 |
| 1950 | #1,733 | 19 |
| 1940 | #3,770 | 5 |
| 1930 | #3,855 | 6 |
| 1920 | #2,545 | 12 |
| 1910 | #1,762 | 5 |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | #720 | 8 |
How popular is Marquis, counting every spelling?
Marquis is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #1,184 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,672 for Marquis on its own. Together these spellings went to 159 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marquis | 99 | #1,672 | 653 |
| Marquise | 60 | #2,324 | 394 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Marquis?
99 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Marquis (0.03 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Marquis born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 85 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Marquis.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Marquis?
About 23,300 people born in the US named Marquis are alive today, with a median age of 31; half are between 22 and 37. That makes Marquis mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Marquis by state
How common Marquis was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Georgia (2.9×), Florida (1.9×), Michigan (1.8×), Illinois (1.7×). In 33 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Marquis: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Marquis, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Marquis · Sibling names for Marquis
Questions about the name Marquis
What does Marquis mean?
Marquis means “marquis (noble title)” (French origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Marquis?
Marquis was the 1672nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 99 babies. Its best year was 1990, when it ranked 258th with 1,037 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 744 places. More babies were named Marquis in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Is Marquis a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Marquis in the US.
Where is Marquis most popular?
In 2021–2025, Marquis was most common in Georgia (0.22 per 1,000 boys), followed by Florida and Michigan.