Meri
A diminutive of the female given name Merida.
Every Meri since 1917 — 2,502 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Meri
Meri is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #10,632 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1917, 2,502 American babies have been named Meri. Its peak came in 1961, when 89 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
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 Meri stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Meri year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | #10,632 |
| 2024 | 13 | #8,280 |
| 2023 | 13 | #8,343 |
| 2022 | 7 | #13,131 |
| 2021 | 14 | #7,892 |
| 2020 | 8 | #11,787 |
| 2019 | 10 | #10,237 |
| 2018 | 11 | #9,607 |
| 2017 | 5 | #17,582 |
| 2016 | 13 | #8,714 |
| 2015 | 8 | #12,628 |
| 2014 | 8 | #12,707 |
| 2013 | 7 | #14,148 |
| 2012 | 16 | #7,689 |
| 2011 | 8 | #12,980 |
| 2010 | 5 | #18,927 |
| 2009 | 7 | #14,714 |
| 2008 | 7 | #14,876 |
| 2007 | 14 | #8,856 |
| 2006 | 10 | #11,163 |
| 2005 | 14 | #8,199 |
| 2004 | 15 | #7,698 |
| 2003 | 11 | #9,487 |
| 2002 | 17 | #6,591 |
| 2001 | 14 | #7,602 |
| 2000 | 24 | #4,923 |
| 1995 | 24 | #4,307 |
| 1990 | 16 | #5,738 |
| 1985 | 16 | #4,785 |
| 1980 | 17 | #4,445 |
| 1975 | 33 | #2,442 |
| 1970 | 60 | #1,591 |
| 1965 | 62 | #1,401 |
| 1960 | 78 | #1,244 |
| 1955 | 74 | #1,161 |
| 1950 | 44 | #1,390 |
| 1945 | 31 | #1,472 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,269 |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Meri mean?
A diminutive of the female given name Merida.
How popular is the name Meri in 2025?
Meri ranked #10,632 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Meri?
2,502 babies have been named Meri in the United States since 1917, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Meri most popular?
Meri peaked in 1961, when 89 newborns received the name.
Is Meri a boy or girl name?
Meri is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Meri rising or falling?
Meri is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.