Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1922

Merl

Meaning Merl is both a surname and a given name Gender Unisex · 10% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

Merl is both a surname and a given name.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Merl
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1922
92 babies
All-time total
2,852
#2,818 all-time among boys
First recorded
1886
in Social Security records

Merl popularity over time

2,852 babies have been named Merl since 1886, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.040.080.110.1518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 15 15 2 – #721
1890s 16 58 74 7 +393% #681
1900s 19 69 88 9 +19% #609
1910s 75 503 578 58 +557% #688
1920s 98 693 791 79 +37% #720
1930s 41 411 452 45 -43% #885
1940s 18 331 349 35 -23% #1,098
1950s 6 265 271 27 -22% #1,220
1960s 5 145 150 15 -45% #1,646
1970s – 69 69 7 -54% #2,767
1980s – 15 15 2 -78% #6,987
1990s – – – – – –
2000s – – – – – –
2010s – – – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Merl

Merl is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1886, 2,852 American babies have been named Merl, about 90% boys and 10% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1922, when 92 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

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 Merl stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Merl?

The median living Merl is about 73 years old; half are between 63 and 81. An estimated 700 people named Merl are alive in the United States today.

median 73 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Merl 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 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – – –
1985 – – 5 #7,224
1980 – – – –
1975 – – 7 #4,633
1970 – – 8 #3,725
1965 – – 15 #2,141
1960 – – 14 #2,278
1955 – – 24 #1,596
1950 – – 34 #1,248
1945 – – 29 #1,241
1940 7 #3,740 33 #1,174
1935 8 #3,346 31 #1,219
1930 9 #3,244 44 #1,044
1925 9 #3,567 70 #791
1920 15 #2,433 74 #773
1915 10 #2,837 57 #809
1910 – – 12 #971
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 8 #1,264 5 #1,199
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Merl, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Merl?

The median living Merl is about 73 years old. Half of all living Merls are between 63 and 81 years old.

How many people named Merl are alive today?

An estimated 700 people named Merl are alive in the United States, based on 2,852 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Merl mean?

Merl is both a surname and a given name.

How popular is the name Merl in 2025?

Merl did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Merl?

2,852 babies have been named Merl in the United States since 1886, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Merl most popular?

Merl peaked in 1922, when 92 newborns received the name.

Is Merl a boy or girl name?

Merl is used for both: about 10% of babies named Merl have been girls and 90% boys.

Is the name Merl rising or falling?

Merl has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Merl

Names that sound and feel close to Merl: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Merl with similar names → More names starting with M →