The praenomen was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gens Marcia, as well as the cognomen Marcellus.
It was regularly abbreviated M.[1][2][3] At all periods of Roman history, Marcus was the third-most popular praenomen, trailing only Lucius and Gaius.
The name survived the Roman Empire and has continued to be used, in various forms, into modern times.
[1][2] The praenomen Marcus is generally thought to be derived from the name of the god Mars.
It has been proposed that it was originally given to children who were born in the month of Martius (March), which was itself named in honor of the god Mars.