Merrill
A unisex given name. A male given name.
Every Merrill since 1880 — 15,065 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Merrill
Merrill is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #6,333 in 2025 with 14 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 15,065 American babies have been named Merrill — about 86% boys and 14% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1926, when 321 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 Merrill stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Merrill 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 | 8 | #11,580 | 14 | #6,333 |
| 2024 | 7 | #13,017 | 6 | #11,874 |
| 2023 | — | — | 7 | #10,417 |
| 2022 | 7 | #13,132 | 8 | #9,558 |
| 2021 | 10 | #10,071 | 6 | #11,677 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10,834 | 6 | #11,525 |
| 2019 | 12 | #8,938 | 10 | #8,009 |
| 2018 | 6 | #15,042 | 8 | #9,365 |
| 2017 | 7 | #13,642 | 6 | #11,710 |
| 2016 | 14 | #8,267 | 11 | #7,452 |
| 2015 | 12 | #9,327 | 12 | #6,946 |
| 2014 | 7 | #14,087 | 7 | #10,361 |
| 2013 | 8 | #12,779 | 6 | #11,693 |
| 2012 | 11 | #10,196 | 8 | #9,422 |
| 2011 | 9 | #11,851 | 11 | #7,333 |
| 2010 | 10 | #10,977 | 12 | #6,953 |
| 2009 | 10 | #11,228 | 6 | #11,965 |
| 2008 | 12 | #9,892 | 11 | #7,546 |
| 2007 | 12 | #9,974 | 9 | #8,676 |
| 2006 | 14 | #8,566 | 8 | #9,287 |
| 2005 | 7 | #13,997 | 13 | #6,104 |
| 2004 | 11 | #9,685 | 11 | #6,828 |
| 2003 | 9 | #11,011 | 10 | #7,069 |
| 2002 | 10 | #10,003 | — | — |
| 2001 | 9 | #10,722 | 7 | #8,921 |
| 2000 | 10 | #9,652 | 9 | #7,210 |
| 1995 | 17 | #5,603 | 18 | #3,651 |
| 1990 | 20 | #4,809 | 24 | #2,750 |
| 1985 | 18 | #4,385 | 27 | #2,106 |
| 1980 | 24 | #3,467 | 50 | #1,336 |
| 1975 | 10 | #5,820 | 42 | #1,354 |
| 1970 | 19 | #3,387 | 49 | #1,190 |
| 1965 | 19 | #2,893 | 69 | #889 |
| 1960 | 32 | #2,042 | 111 | #732 |
| 1955 | 46 | #1,507 | 148 | #612 |
| 1950 | 52 | #1,280 | 164 | #526 |
| 1945 | 33 | #1,410 | 171 | #454 |
| 1940 | 19 | #1,877 | 215 | #388 |
| 1935 | 22 | #1,642 | 188 | #398 |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,558 | 260 | #352 |
| 1925 | 18 | #2,166 | 292 | #340 |
| 1920 | 17 | #2,233 | 289 | #345 |
| 1915 | 11 | #2,648 | 261 | #326 |
| 1910 | — | — | 39 | #443 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,138 | 35 | #352 |
| 1900 | — | — | 23 | #485 |
| 1895 | — | — | 25 | #387 |
| 1890 | — | — | 14 | #525 |
| 1885 | — | — | 10 | #626 |
| 1880 | — | — | 13 | #515 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Merrill mean?
A unisex given name. A male given name.
How popular is the name Merrill in 2025?
Merrill ranked #6,333 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 14 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Merrill?
15,065 babies have been named Merrill in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Merrill most popular?
Merrill peaked in 1926, when 321 newborns received the name.
Is Merrill a boy or girl name?
Merrill is used for both: about 14% of babies named Merrill have been girls and 86% boys.
Is the name Merrill rising or falling?
Merrill is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.