Mercy
From mercy in the 17th century; one of the less common Puritan virtue names.
Every Mercy since 1881 — 10,864 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Mercy
Mercy is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #867 in 2025 with 313 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 10,864 American babies have been named Mercy. Its peak came in 2019, when 461 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Mercy stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Mercy year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 313 | #867 | 25 | #4,211 |
| 2024 | 320 | #847 | 24 | #4,399 |
| 2023 | 329 | #834 | 28 | #3,959 |
| 2022 | 355 | #797 | 21 | #4,803 |
| 2021 | 363 | #781 | 20 | #4,879 |
| 2020 | 339 | #801 | 17 | #5,393 |
| 2019 | 441 | #661 | 20 | #4,909 |
| 2018 | 392 | #726 | 13 | #6,578 |
| 2017 | 367 | #759 | 16 | #5,697 |
| 2016 | 360 | #792 | 12 | #7,000 |
| 2015 | 265 | #1,013 | 11 | #7,382 |
| 2014 | 289 | #935 | 9 | #8,568 |
| 2013 | 314 | #840 | 6 | #11,690 |
| 2012 | 255 | #991 | — | — |
| 2011 | 246 | #1,017 | — | — |
| 2010 | 207 | #1,179 | — | — |
| 2009 | 193 | #1,266 | — | — |
| 2008 | 182 | #1,347 | — | — |
| 2007 | 176 | #1,379 | — | — |
| 2006 | 163 | #1,395 | — | — |
| 2005 | 159 | #1,364 | — | — |
| 2004 | 150 | #1,393 | — | — |
| 2003 | 156 | #1,324 | — | — |
| 2002 | 111 | #1,666 | — | — |
| 2001 | 131 | #1,441 | — | — |
| 2000 | 112 | #1,585 | 5 | #11,567 |
| 1995 | 69 | #1,998 | — | — |
| 1990 | 53 | #2,367 | — | — |
| 1985 | 45 | #2,278 | — | — |
| 1980 | 50 | #2,087 | — | — |
| 1975 | 70 | #1,470 | — | — |
| 1970 | 49 | #1,818 | — | — |
| 1965 | 32 | #2,098 | — | — |
| 1960 | 52 | #1,550 | — | — |
| 1955 | 55 | #1,359 | — | — |
| 1950 | 37 | #1,543 | — | — |
| 1945 | 41 | #1,255 | — | — |
| 1940 | 37 | #1,212 | — | — |
| 1935 | 37 | #1,178 | — | — |
| 1930 | 42 | #1,155 | — | — |
| 1925 | 35 | #1,364 | — | — |
| 1920 | 28 | #1,573 | — | — |
| 1915 | 14 | #2,212 | — | — |
| 1910 | 10 | #1,590 | — | — |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,137 | — | — |
| 1900 | 7 | #1,682 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Mercy mean?
From mercy in the 17th century; one of the less common Puritan virtue names.
How popular is the name Mercy in 2025?
Mercy ranked #867 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 313 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Mercy?
10,864 babies have been named Mercy in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Mercy most popular?
Mercy peaked in 2019, when 461 newborns received the name.
Is Mercy a boy or girl name?
Mercy is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Mercy rising or falling?
Mercy is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.