The name Marquette is of French origin, derived from the surname of the explorer Jean Nicolet, who was the first European to reach Lake Michigan and give it its name. It translates to 'of March' in English, reflecting Nicolet's departure for his expedition in late March 1634. As a given name, Marquette has been used in France since the Middle Ages but gained popularity worldwide after the explorations of Jean Nicolet.
The name Marquette experienced a significant rise and fall in popularity over the course of these years, with noticeable peaks in certain decades. The most notable spike occurred between 1984 to 1986, with a combined total of 87 births during those three years alone, suggesting a brief but substantial trend towards naming daughters Marquette. However, this was an exception as the name's popularity fluctuated greatly throughout the rest of the period, ranging from a low of 5 births in multiple years to a high of 34 births in 1984. Overall, there were 652 babies named Marquette during these years.