Meredith
From Welsh Maredudd (“great lord”).
Every Meredith since 1883 — 82,044 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Meredith
Meredith is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #469 in 2025 with 656 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1883, 82,044 American babies have been named Meredith — about 95% girls and 5% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1980, when 2,087 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
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 Meredith stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Meredith 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 | 656 | #469 | — | — |
| 2024 | 623 | #492 | — | — |
| 2023 | 595 | #509 | — | — |
| 2022 | 557 | #549 | — | — |
| 2021 | 534 | #570 | — | — |
| 2020 | 499 | #585 | — | — |
| 2019 | 527 | #581 | — | — |
| 2018 | 598 | #524 | — | — |
| 2017 | 628 | #502 | — | — |
| 2016 | 588 | #530 | — | — |
| 2015 | 510 | #590 | — | — |
| 2014 | 477 | #610 | — | — |
| 2013 | 433 | #658 | — | — |
| 2012 | 423 | #669 | — | — |
| 2011 | 477 | #602 | 5 | #13,654 |
| 2010 | 486 | #604 | — | — |
| 2009 | 635 | #485 | — | — |
| 2008 | 710 | #445 | 7 | #10,648 |
| 2007 | 952 | #347 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,064 | #312 | — | — |
| 2005 | 853 | #367 | — | — |
| 2004 | 953 | #336 | 8 | #8,658 |
| 2003 | 840 | #363 | — | — |
| 2002 | 833 | #356 | — | — |
| 2001 | 957 | #324 | — | — |
| 2000 | 1,092 | #293 | — | — |
| 1995 | 1,244 | #226 | 7 | #7,528 |
| 1990 | 1,555 | #190 | 8 | #6,219 |
| 1985 | 1,959 | #149 | 17 | #2,908 |
| 1980 | 2,071 | #140 | 16 | #2,914 |
| 1975 | 1,428 | #181 | 33 | #1,584 |
| 1970 | 1,352 | #234 | 21 | #1,970 |
| 1965 | 345 | #512 | 33 | #1,353 |
| 1960 | 247 | #642 | 39 | #1,264 |
| 1955 | 300 | #532 | 35 | #1,289 |
| 1950 | 304 | #467 | 54 | #943 |
| 1945 | 309 | #404 | 59 | #815 |
| 1940 | 172 | #524 | 82 | #672 |
| 1935 | 129 | #563 | 64 | #775 |
| 1930 | 94 | #724 | 67 | #790 |
| 1925 | 91 | #778 | 83 | #713 |
| 1920 | 75 | #838 | 106 | #614 |
| 1915 | 49 | #952 | 87 | #618 |
| 1910 | 24 | #890 | 14 | #846 |
| 1905 | 10 | #1,277 | 9 | #892 |
| 1900 | 5 | #2,124 | 6 | #1,264 |
| 1895 | 6 | #1,535 | 5 | #1,198 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Meredith
- Meredith Monk Composer · b. 1942
- Meredith Baxter Actor · b. 1947
- Meredith Monroe Actor · b. 1969
- Meredith Brooks Musician · b. 1958
- Meredith Vieira Presenter · b. 1953
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Meredith mean?
From Welsh Maredudd (“great lord”).
How popular is the name Meredith in 2025?
Meredith ranked #469 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 656 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Meredith?
82,044 babies have been named Meredith in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Meredith most popular?
Meredith peaked in 1980, when 2,087 newborns received the name.
Is Meredith a boy or girl name?
Meredith is used for both: about 95% of babies named Meredith have been girls and 5% boys.
Is the name Meredith rising or falling?
Meredith is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Meredith?
Well-known people named Meredith include Meredith Monk (composer), Meredith Baxter (actor), Meredith Monroe (actor).