MARCELLA
mar-SEL-uh
A feminine name from the Mars family, with a classical Roman feel and an early Christian association.
Meaning
Marcella is a feminine form in the Roman Mars-name family, related to Marcellus, Marcellina, and Marciana. The excerpts connect it to Mars, the Roman war god, and also note its spread through the pious widow Marcella, whose friendship with St. Jerome helped popularize the name in France and Ireland.
Origin
Latinfeminine
Fun fact
One excerpt says the name became familiar through a pious widow linked with St. Jerome, which helped give Marcella a distinctly early-Christian literary aura.
Confidence: mixed. Sources: History of Christian Names, Girls' Names and Name-Day and Birthday Book.