Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1940

Merlene

Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Merlene
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1940
93 babies
All-time total
2,379
#4,181 all-time among girls
First recorded
1913
in Social Security records

Merlene popularity over time

2,379 babies have been named Merlene since 1913, 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
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1940Girls

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 Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s 76 8 – #1,727
1920s 307 31 +304% #966
1930s 687 69 +124% #760
1940s 632 63 -8% #723
1950s 432 43 -32% #1,313
1960s 181 18 -58% #2,133
1970s 53 5 -71% #4,673
1980s 11 1 -79% #10,003
1990s – – – –
2000s – – – –
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Merlene

Merlene 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 1913, 2,379 American babies have been named Merlene. Its peak came in 1940, when 93 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1940s.

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

How old are people named Merlene?

The median living Merlene is about 76 years old; half are between 68 and 84. An estimated 1,200 people named Merlene are alive in the United States today.

median 76 020406080100

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

Merlene year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls 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 – –
1980 – –
1975 – –
1970 12 #4,673
1965 19 #2,892
1960 30 #2,133
1955 49 #1,456
1950 49 #1,313
1945 57 #1,027
1940 93 #723
1935 79 #763
1930 42 #1,156
1925 25 #1,732
1920 15 #2,434
1915 7 #3,676
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Merlene

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Merlene Ottey Merlene Ottey Jamaican-born Slovenian track athlete (born 1960) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Merlene?

The median living Merlene is about 76 years old. Half of all living Merlenes are between 68 and 84 years old.

How many people named Merlene are alive today?

An estimated 1,200 people named Merlene are alive in the United States, based on 2,379 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Merlene in 2025?

Merlene 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 Merlene?

2,379 babies have been named Merlene in the United States since 1913, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Merlene most popular?

Merlene peaked in 1940, when 93 newborns received the name.

Is Merlene a boy or girl name?

Merlene is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Merlene rising or falling?

Merlene has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Merlene?

Well-known people named Merlene include Merlene Ottey (athlete).

Names like Merlene

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

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