Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1920

Merril

Meaning Spelling variant of Merrill Gender Unisex · 14% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

Spelling variant of Merrill.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Merril
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1920
37 babies
All-time total
992
#5,657 all-time among boys
First recorded
1910
in Social Security records

Merril popularity over time

992 babies have been named Merril since 1910, 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
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s 11 176 187 19 – #1,236
1920s 10 263 273 27 +46% #1,201
1930s – 159 159 16 -42% #1,575
1940s 58 132 190 19 +19% #1,680
1950s 45 78 123 12 -35% #2,390
1960s 10 27 37 4 -70% #3,201
1970s – 12 12 1 -68% #4,739
1980s – 6 6 1 -50% #5,985
1990s – – – – – –
2000s – 5 5 1 – #13,913
2010s – – – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Merril

Merril 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 1910, 992 American babies have been named Merril, about 86% boys and 14% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1920, when 37 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 Merril stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Merril?

The median living Merril is about 75 years old; half are between 69 and 81. An estimated 300 people named Merril are alive in the United States today.

median 75 020406080100

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

Merril 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 – – 5 #13,913
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – – –
1985 – – – –
1980 – – 6 #5,985
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 5 #7,005 7 #3,546
1955 6 #5,640 8 #3,125
1950 12 #3,168 11 #2,393
1945 10 #3,060 14 #1,903
1940 – – 13 #2,053
1935 – – 19 #1,634
1930 – – 16 #1,938
1925 – – 24 #1,564
1920 – – 37 #1,201
1915 5 #4,750 18 #1,696
1910 – – 8 #1,277
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Merril?

The median living Merril is about 75 years old. Half of all living Merrils are between 69 and 81 years old.

How many people named Merril are alive today?

An estimated 300 people named Merril are alive in the United States, based on 992 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Merril mean?

Spelling variant of Merrill.

How popular is the name Merril in 2025?

Merril 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 Merril?

992 babies have been named Merril in the United States since 1910, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Merril most popular?

Merril peaked in 1920, when 37 newborns received the name.

Is Merril a boy or girl name?

Merril is used for both: about 14% of babies named Merril have been girls and 86% boys.

Is the name Merril rising or falling?

Merril has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Merril

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

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