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FriOct 18

National Mark Day – October 18, 2024

National Mark Day is celebrated on October 18. Mark is a traditionally masculine name that means “Mars consecrated.” The name Mark comes from the Latin name, Marcus. Mark has also been interpreted as “war god” and “warlike.” Mark is a popular biblical name that was popularized by St. Mark, the evangelist who wrote the second Gospel in the Bible’s New Testament. Venice’s patron saint is St. Mark. In the 19th century, Mark became a popular name in English-speaking areas.

History of National Mark Day

Mark is a popular male first name that comes from the Latin word Mars. It can also mean “Deity of War” or “to be warlike,” and it implies “consecrated to the god Mars.” Marcus was one of the most popular Roman first names, called the ‘praenomen.’ Mark is a variant of the name Marcus.

This is also how the name of the first-century B.C. Roman triumvir Marcus Antonius is commonly spelled in English. The Anglicized form of Marcus Antonius is Mark Antony, and he was a Roman officer and Queen Cleopatra’s partner. He is one of the most renowned Marks. In Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra,” he was also a character.

Mark the Evangelist is the traditional namesake author of the New Testament’s second Gospel. He is venerated as the patron saint of Venice, where he is said to be interred. Though it was in use during the Middle Ages, Mark did not become widely used in English-speaking countries until the 19th century, when it was combined with the classical form Marcus.

This was the name of a king of Cornwall in the Celtic legend of Tristan and Isolde. Mark Twain, the author of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, was also known by this name even though his real name was Samuel Clemens. He got his pen name from a call used by Mississippi River riverboat operators to denote a depth of two fathoms.

National Mark Day timeline

1st Century B.C.
Marcus Antonius

Also known as Mark Anthony, the Roman triumvir establishes a distinguished political and military career but ultimately loses to Octavian in a civil war.

1st Century A.D.
St. Mark the Evangelist

St. Mark the Evangelist spreads the teachings of Jesus, traveling as far as Alexandria and establishing the precursor of the Coptic Orthodox and Greek Orthodox churches.

1884
The Great American Novel

Mark Twain publishes “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” a novel that critiques society and is widely considered a Great American Novel.

1977
A New Hope

Mark Hamill stars as the young Jedi, Luke Skywalker, in the genre-defining “Star Wars,” now retroactively titled “Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope.”

2003
“Oh hi, Mark!”

Tommy Wiseau’s character, Johnny, delivers this iconic line in the cult favorite and one of the most hate-loved movies in pop culture, “The Room.”

National Mark Day FAQs

Where is Mark the most popular name?

In the United States, Mark is the most popular.

Is Mark or Marc more common?

Mark is the most common spelling of this name in English, but Marc is almost as common.

Is Mark a German or English name?

Yes, Mark is a short form of any of the Germanic compound personal names that begin with the word mark, which means ‘borderland.’ However, it can also be traced to the Latin name, Marcus.

National Mark Day Activities

  1. Buy a gift

    Today, look for a small, suitable gift for your pal. Try to find out if they were named after a famous Mark and give them a related trinket! Maybe their parents liked movies featuring Mark Hamill, Mark Wahlberg, or Mark Ruffalo, or maybe they liked the music Mark Hoppus helped create.

  2. Offer the celebrant their favorite food

    Find out what they like to eat and offer it to them. From cookies to chocolate to ice cream, there's something for everyone. Allow them to indulge their sugar tooth.

  3. Buy a cake cookie

    Cake Cookies are available on Amazon. Surprise your buddy Mark on their name day with this and a meaningful card. You can just put their name on the card or think of a witty pun using their name!

5 Interesting Facts About The Name Mark

  1. 120,000 census entries available

    For the surname Mark, there are 120,000 census entries available.

  2. A popular first name

    Mark clocks in as the 15th most popular first name for boys in the United States, according to the Social Security Administration, using data from 1922 to 2021.

  3. Marks worldwide

    There are around 318,231 persons in the world with this surname.

  4. Mark in Nigeria

    The surname Mark is most commonly found in Nigeria.

  5. Common among Christians and Catholics

    Mark is a common first name in Catholic and Christian families and is sometimes combined with John in honor of John Mark, widely believed to also be St. Mark the Evangelist.

Why We Love National Mark Day

  1. Names are culturally significant

    Names are, after all, a part of every culture. They are extremely significant to both the persons who receive them and the societies that bestow them.

  2. Names are valuable possessions

    There is a name for everything on the earth. Names are the most valuable possessions we have, which we must carry from the beginning of our lives until the end, and most likely beyond. They serve as a link between us and our past.

  3. Our names impact how we're viewed

    Our name has an impact on how people see us. First and foremost, people judge us by our names. They use it to produce an image of our background, and how they address us reveals a lot about our relationship with them.

National Mark Day dates

YearDateDay
2024October 18Friday
2025October 18Saturday
2026October 18Sunday
2027October 18Monday
2028October 18Wednesday

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