Marc vs. Mark: What's the Difference?
By Janet White || Updated on May 20, 2024
Marc is a masculine given name of Latin origin, while Mark is both a common masculine given name and a noun meaning a sign or indication. Marc is primarily a name, whereas Mark can also refer to a symbol or target.
Key Differences
Marc is a masculine given name derived from the Latin name Marcus, commonly used in various cultures, especially in French-speaking countries. It is a personal name and not typically used as a common noun. Mark, on the other hand, serves both as a given name and a common noun. As a given name, it is also derived from Marcus and is widely used in English-speaking countries. As a noun, "mark" can refer to a visible impression, symbol, or target. For example, "mark" can mean a grade on a test, a line or figure indicating a position, or an objective to aim for.
Marc is used exclusively as a name and doesn't carry other meanings. It is a variant spelling of Mark and is less common in English-speaking regions compared to Mark. Mark has broader applications in everyday language. As a verb, "to mark" means to make a visible sign on something, to indicate or designate, or to note an event. This versatility makes Mark more commonly encountered outside of personal names.
Marc is distinctively a given name with cultural and linguistic roots, whereas Mark functions as both a name and a versatile word in English, making it more widely used and recognized.
Comparison Chart
Origin
Derived from Latin "Marcus"
Derived from Latin "Marcus"
Usage
Primarily a masculine given name
Given name and common noun/verb
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Commonality
More common in French-speaking regions
Widely used in English-speaking countries
Additional Meanings
None
Visible impression, symbol, target, grade
Examples as a Noun
Not applicable
E.g., "He left a mark on the wall."
Marc and Mark Definitions
Marc
Often used in personal and cultural contexts.
Marc received an award for his artwork.
Mark
An objective or target to be aimed at.
She hit the mark in her archery competition.
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Marc
A common name in French-speaking countries.
Marc's family is originally from France.
Mark
A masculine given name of Latin origin.
Mark is a popular name in many English-speaking countries.
Marc
A variant spelling of the name Mark.
Marc and Mark are essentially the same name with different spellings.
Mark
A visible impression or symbol made on a surface.
The teacher put a red mark on the incorrect answer.
Marc
A masculine given name of Latin origin.
Marc attended the conference in Paris.
Mark
A grade or score on an academic test.
He received a high mark on his math exam.
Marc
Not used as a common noun or verb.
The name Marc is distinct and specific to individuals.
Mark
To make a visible sign or note.
She marked the page with a bookmark.
Marc
See pomace.
Mark
See Table at Bible.
Marc
Brandy distilled from fermented grape or apple pomace.
Mark
A visible trace or impression, such as a line or spot
A spill that left a mark on the rug.
A mark next to each purchased item on the list.
Marc
The refuse matter that remains after fruit, particularly grapes, has been pressed.
Mark
A name, logo, or other indicator used to indicate ownership, origin, or level of quality.
Marc
An alcoholic spirit distilled from the marc of grapes.
Mark
A notch made in an animal's ear or hide to indicate ownership.
Marc
The refuse matter which remains after the pressure of fruit, particularly of grapes.
Mark
A sign, such as a cross, made in lieu of a signature.
Marc
A weight of various commodities, esp. of gold and silver, used in different European countries. In France and Holland it was equal to eight ounces.
Mark
A written or printed symbol used for punctuation; a punctuation mark.
Marc
A coin formerly current in England and Scotland, equal to thirteen shillings and four pence.
Mark
A number, letter, or symbol used to indicate various grades of academic achievement
Got a mark of 95 instead of 100.
Marc
A German coin and money of account. See Mark.
Mark
Often marks An appraisal; a rating
Earned high marks from her superiors.
Marc
Made from residue of grapes or apples after pressing
Mark
A knot or piece of material placed at various measured lengths on a sounding line to indicate the depth of the water.
Mark
A Plimsoll mark.
Mark
A distinctive trait or property
Good manners are the mark of a civilized person.
Mark
A recognized standard of quality
Schoolwork that is not up to the mark.
Mark
A lasting effect
The experience had left its mark on all of us.
Mark
A specific model, type, or iteration, as of a product or machine, especially when part of a series. Usually used with a number
The mark IV model of this car.
Mark
Importance; prominence
"a fellow of no mark nor likelihood" (Shakespeare).
Mark
Notice; attention
A matter unworthy of mark.
Mark
A target
"A mounted officer would be a conspicuous mark" (Ambrose Bierce).
Mark
Something that one wishes to achieve; a goal.
Mark
An object or point that serves as a guide.
Mark
(Slang) A person who is the intended victim of a swindler; a dupe.
Mark
(Sports) The place from which racers begin and sometimes end their contest.
Mark
A point reached or gained
The halfway mark of the race.
Mark
A record
Set a new mark in the long jump.
Mark
A strike or spare in bowling.
Mark
A stationary ball in lawn bowling; a jack.
Mark
A boundary between countries.
Mark
A tract of land in medieval England and Germany held in common by a community.
Mark
(Computers) A character or feature in a file, record, or data stream used to locate a specific point or condition.
Mark
In Arthurian legend, a king of Cornwall who was the husband of Iseult and the uncle of her lover Tristan.
Mark
An English and Scottish unit of currency that was equal to 13 shillings and 4 pence.
Mark
Any of several European units of weight that were equal to about 8 ounces (227 grams), used especially for weighing gold and silver.
Mark
A deutsche mark.
Mark
A markka.
Mark
To make a visible trace or impression on, as with a spot, line, or dent
Marked the wall with a crayon.
Mark
To form, make, or depict by making a mark
Marked a square on the board.
Mark
To supply with natural markings
Gray fur that is marked with stripes.
Mark
To single out or indicate by or as if by a mark
Marked the spot where the treasure was buried.
A career marked for glory.
Mark
To distinguish or characterize
The exuberance that marks her writings.
Marked the occasion with celebrations.
Mark
To make conspicuous
A concert marking the composer's 60th birthday.
Mark
To set off or separate by or as if by a line or boundary
Marked off the limits of our property.
Mark
To attach or affix identification, such as a price tag or maker's label, to.
Mark
To evaluate (academic work) according to a scale of letters or numbers; grade.
Mark
To give attention to; notice
Mark her expression of discontent. Mark my words.
Mark
To take note of in writing; write down
Marked the appointment on my calendar.
Mark
Sports & Games To record (the score) in various games.
Mark
(Sports) To guard (an opponent), as in soccer.
Mark
To make a visible impression
This pen will mark under water.
Mark
To receive a visible impression
The floor marks easily.
Mark
Sports & Games To keep score.
Mark
To determine academic grades
A teacher who marks strictly.
Mark
(heading) Boundary, land within a boundary.
Mark
(obsolete) A boundary; a border or frontier.
Mark
(obsolete) A boundary-post or fence.
Mark
A stone or post used to indicate position and guide travellers.
Mark
(archaic) A type of small region or principality.
Mark
(historical) A common, or area of common land, especially among early Germanic peoples.
Mark
(heading) Characteristic, sign, visible impression.
Mark
An omen; a symptomatic indicator of something.
Mark
A characteristic feature.
A good sense of manners is the mark of a true gentleman.
Mark
A visible impression or sign; a blemish, scratch, or stain, whether accidental or intentional.
Mark
A sign or brand on a person.
Mark
A written character or sign.
The font wasn't able to render all the diacritical marks properly.
Mark
A stamp or other indication of provenance, quality etc.
With eggs, you need to check for the quality mark before you buy.
Mark
(obsolete) Resemblance, likeness, image.
Mark
A particular design or make of an item now usually with following numeral.
I am proud to present my patented travelator, mark two.
Mark
A score for finding the correct answer, or other academic achievement; the sum of such points gained as out of a possible total.
What mark did you get in your history test?
Mark
(heading) Indicator of position, objective etc.
Mark
A target for shooting at with a projectile.
Mark
An indication or sign used for reference or measurement.
I filled the bottle up to the 500ml mark.
Mark
The target or intended victim of a swindle, fixed game or con game.
Mark
(obsolete) The female genitals.
Mark
(Rugby football, Australian rules football) A catch of the ball directly from a kick of 10 metres or more without having been touched in transit, resulting in a free kick.
Mark
(sports) The line indicating an athlete's starting-point.
Mark
A score for a sporting achievement.
Mark
An official note that is added to a record kept about someone's behavior or performance.
Mark
(cooking) A specified level on a scale denoting gas-powered oven temperatures.
Now put the pastry in at 450 degrees, or mark 8.
Mark
(product design/engineering) The model number of a device; a device model.
The Mark I system had poor radar, and the Mark II was too expensive; regardless, most antiaircraft direction remained the responsibility of the Mark I Eyeball (as the jocular phrase calls it): that is, the operator's eye.
Mark
Limit or standard of action or fact.
To be within the mark
To come up to the mark
Mark
Badge or sign of honour, rank, or official station.
Mark
(archaic) Preeminence; high position.
Patricians of mark
A fellow of no mark
Mark
(logic) A characteristic or essential attribute; a differential.
Mark
(nautical) One of the bits of leather or coloured bunting placed upon a sounding line at intervals of from two to five fathoms. (The unmarked fathoms are called "deeps".)
Mark
(heading) Attention.
Mark
(archaic) Attention, notice.
His last comment is particularly worthy of mark.
Mark
Importance, noteworthiness. Generally in postmodifier “of mark”.
Mark
(obsolete) Regard; respect.
Mark
A measure of weight (especially for gold and silver), once used throughout Europe, equivalent to 8 oz.
Mark
An English and Scottish unit of currency (originally valued at one mark weight of silver), equivalent to 13 shillings and fourpence.
Mark
Any of various European monetary units, especially the base unit of currency of (West) Germany between 1948 and 2002, equal to 100 pfennigs.
Mark
A coin worth one mark.
Mark
To put a mark on (something); to make (something) recognizable by a mark; to label or write on (something).
To mark a box or bale of merchandise
To mark clothing with one's name
Mark
To leave a mark (often an undesirable or unwanted one) on (something).
See where this pencil has marked the paper.
The floor was marked with wine and blood.
Mark
(figurative) To have a long-lasting negative impact on (someone or something).
Mark
To create an indication of (a location).
She folded over the corner of the page to mark where she left off reading.
Some animals mark their territory by urinating.
Mark
To be an indication of (something); to show where (something) is located.
This monument marks the spot where Wolfe died.
A bell marked the end of visiting hours.
Mark
To indicate (something) in writing or by other symbols.
Prices are marked on individual items.
In her Bible, the words of Christ were marked in red.
Mark
To create (a mark) on a surface.
Mark
To celebrate or acknowledge (an event) through an action of some kind.
The national holiday is marked by fireworks.
Mark
(of things) To identify (someone as a particular type of person or as having a particular role).
His courage and energy marked him as a leader.
Mark
(of people) To assign (someone) to a particular category or class.
Mark
(of people) To choose or intend (someone) for a particular end or purpose.
Mark
To be a point in time or space at which something takes place; to accompany or be accompanied by (an event, action, etc.); to coincide with.
The creek marks the boundary between the two farms.
That summer marked the beginning of her obsession with cycling.
Mark
To be typical or characteristic of (something).
Mark
To distinguish (one person or thing from another).
Mark
To focus one's attention on (something or someone); to pay attention to, to take note of.
Mark my words: that boy’s up to no good.
Mark
(dated) To become aware of (something) through the physical senses.
Mark
To hold (someone) in one's line of sight.
Mark
To indicate the correctness of and give a score to (a school assignment, exam answers, etc.).
The teacher had to spend her weekend marking all the tests.
Mark
To record that (someone) has a particular status.
To mark a student absent.
Mark
To keep account of; to enumerate and register; to keep score.
To mark the points in a game of billiards or a card game
Mark
(sports) To follow a player not in possession of the ball when defending, to prevent them receiving a pass easily.
Mark
(Australian rules football) To catch the ball directly from a kick of 15 metres or more without having been touched in transit, resulting in a free kick.
Mark
(golf) To put a marker in the place of one's ball.
Mark
(singing) To sing softly, sometimes an octave lower than usual, in order to protect one's voice during a rehearsal.
Mark
Alternative form of march.
Mark time, mark!
Forward, mark!
Mark
A license of reprisals. See Marque.
Mark
An old weight and coin. See Marc.
Mark
The unit of monetary account of the German Empire, equal to 23.8 cents of United States money (1913); the equivalent of one hundred pfennigs. Also, a silver coin of this value. The unit was retained by subsequent German states up to the time of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1995, the value was approximately 65 cents American. In 1999 it began to be superseded by the Euro as a unit of currency in Germany and throughout much of the European union.
Mark
A visible sign or impression made or left upon anything; esp., a line, point, stamp, figure, or the like, drawn or impressed, so as to attract the attention and convey some information or intimation; a token; a trace.
The Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
Mark
A character or device put on an article of merchandise by the maker to show by whom it was made; a trade-mark.
The mark of the artisan is found upon the most ancient fabrics that have come to light.
Mark
A fixed object serving for guidance, as of a ship, a traveler, a surveyor, etc.; as, a seamark, a landmark.
Mark
A trace, dot, line, imprint, or discoloration, although not regarded as a token or sign; a scratch, scar, stain, etc.; as, this pencil makes a fine mark.
I have some marks of yours upon my pate.
Mark
An evidence of presence, agency, or influence; a significative token; a symptom; a trace; specifically, a permanent impression of one's activity or character.
The confusion of tongues was a mark of separation.
Mark
That toward which a missile is directed; a thing aimed at; what one seeks to hit or reach.
France was a fairer mark to shoot at than Ireland.
Whate'er the motive, pleasure is the mark.
Mark
Attention, regard, or respect.
As much in mock as mark.
Mark
Limit or standard of action or fact; as, to be within the mark; to come up to the mark.
Mark
Badge or sign of honor, rank, or official station.
In the official marks invested, youAnon do meet the Senate.
Mark
Preëminence; high position; as, patricians of mark; a fellow of no mark.
Mark
A characteristic or essential attribute; a differential.
Mark
A number or other character used in registering; as, examination marks; a mark for tardiness.
Mark
Image; likeness; hence, those formed in one's image; children; descendants.
Mark
One of the bits of leather or colored bunting which are placed upon a sounding line at intervals of from two to five fathoms. The unmarked fathoms are called "deeps."
Mark
To put a mark upon; to affix a significant mark to; to make recognizable by a mark; as, to mark a box or bale of merchandise; to mark clothing.
Mark
To be a mark upon; to designate; to indicate; - used literally and figuratively; as, this monument marks the spot where Wolfe died; his courage and energy marked him for a leader.
Mark
To leave a trace, scratch, scar, or other mark, upon, or any evidence of action; as, a pencil marks paper; his hobnails marked the floor.
Mark
To keep account of; to enumerate and register; as, to mark the points in a game of billiards or cards.
Mark
To notice or observe; to give attention to; to take note of; to remark; to heed; to regard; as, mark my words.
Mark
To take particular notice; to observe critically; to note; to remark.
Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief.
Mark
A number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance);
She made good marks in algebra
Grade A milk
What was your score on your homework?
Mark
A distinguishing symbol;
The owner's mark was on all the sheep
Mark
A reference point to shoot at;
His arrow hit the mark
Mark
A visible indication made on a surface;
Some previous reader had covered the pages with dozens of marks
Paw prints were everywhere
Mark
The impression created by doing something unusual or extraordinary that people notice and remember;
It was in London that he made his mark
He left an indelible mark on the American theater
Mark
A symbol of disgrace or infamy;
And the Lord set a mark upon Cain
Mark
Formerly the basic unit of money in Germany
Mark
Apostle and companion of Saint Peter; assumed to be the author of the second Gospel
Mark
A person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
Mark
A written or printed symbol (as for punctuation);
His answer was just a punctuation mark
Mark
A perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened);
He showed signs of strain
They welcomed the signs of spring
Mark
The shortest of the four Gospels in the New Testament
Mark
An indication of damage
Mark
Marking consisting of crossing lines
Mark
Something that exactly succeeds in achieving its goal;
The new advertising campaign was a bell ringer
Scored a bull's eye
Hit the mark
The president's speech was a home run
Mark
Attach a tag or label to;
Label these bottles
Mark
Designate as if by a mark;
This sign marks the border
He indicated where the border ended
Mark
Be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait; sometimes in a very positive sense;
His modesty distinguishes him form his peers
Mark
Mark by some ceremony or observation;
We marked the anniversary of his death
Mark
Make or leave a mark on;
Mark the trail so that we can find our way back
Mark
To accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful;
He denounced the government action
She was stigmatized by society because she had a child out of wedlock
Mark
Notice or perceive;
She noted that someone was following her
Mark my words
Mark
Mark with a scar;
The skin disease scarred his face permanently
Mark
Make small marks into the surface of;
Score the clay before firing it
Mark
Establish as the highest level or best performance;
Set a record
Mark
Make underscoring marks
Mark
Remove from a list;
Cross the name of the dead person off the list
Mark
Put a check mark on or next to;
Please check each name on the list
Tick off the items
Mark
Assign a grade or rank to, according to one's evaluation;
Grade tests
Score the SAT essays
Mark homework
Mark
Insert punctuation marks into
FAQs
What does the name Mark mean?
As a name, Mark is derived from Marcus. As a noun, it can mean a symbol, impression, or target.
What is the origin of the name Marc?
The name Marc originates from the Latin name Marcus.
Is Mark a popular name in English-speaking countries?
Yes, Mark is widely used as a given name in English-speaking countries.
What are some uses of the noun "mark"?
"Mark" can refer to a visible impression, a grade, a target, or a symbol.
How is Marc spelled differently from Mark?
Marc is spelled with a "c," while Mark is spelled with a "k."
Is Mark a common noun?
Yes, "mark" is also a common noun meaning a visible impression, symbol, or target.
Does Marc have any meanings other than as a name?
No, Marc is used only as a given name without other meanings.
What other forms does the word "mark" have?
"Mark" can be used as a noun or a verb, such as in "marking" a paper.
What kind of word is "mark" in English?
"Mark" is a versatile word in English, functioning as both a noun and a verb.
Is Marc more common in certain regions?
Yes, Marc is more commonly used in French-speaking regions.
Can Marc be used as a verb?
No, Marc is exclusively a given name and not used as a verb.
Are Marc and Mark used interchangeably as names?
They can be considered variations of each other but are spelled differently.
What verb forms are derived from "mark"?
Forms like "marking" and "marked" are derived from the verb "mark."
Can the name Mark refer to a person?
Yes, Mark is a common masculine given name.
Does the name Mark have historical significance?
Yes, the name Mark has historical and religious significance, such as St. Mark the Evangelist.
Is there a difference in pronunciation between Marc and Mark?
Generally, Marc and Mark are pronounced the same in English, though regional accents may vary.
Is Marc a unique name compared to Mark?
Marc is a variant of Mark and can be considered unique in regions where it is less common.
Is the name Marc used in literature or popular culture?
Yes, Marc appears in various cultural contexts, particularly in French literature and media.
Can Mark be a surname?
Yes, Mark can also be a surname, though less commonly.
Are there any famous people named Marc?
Yes, many notable individuals, such as Marc Chagall, bear the name Marc.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
