← All names

Marsaili

Girl name · 34 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Marsaili: 34 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 7 births in 2017.

Marsaili (mar-SAH-lee) is the Scottish Gaelic form of Marcella, a feminine name deriving from the Roman family name Marcellus, itself a diminutive of Marcus, believed to be connected to Mars, the Roman god of war. This melodic name saw modest use in Scotland, particularly in the Highlands and Islands. Though no widely famous Marsaili comes to mind, the name shares a root with Saint Marcella, a fourth-century Roman noblewoman who devoted her life to Christian charity. Places sharing this Mars connection include Marseille, the ancient Greek colony Massalia, and March, a town in Cambridgeshire. As a distinctly Scottish variant, Marsaili offers a lyrical alternative to the more common English Marcella or Marsha.