Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1944

Merrilyn

Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Merrilyn
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1944
40 babies
All-time total
751
#9,117 all-time among girls
First recorded
1923
in Social Security records

Merrilyn popularity over time

751 babies have been named Merrilyn since 1923, 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
0.010.020.030.0418801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1944Girls

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 – – – –
1920s 92 9 – #2,225
1930s 146 15 +59% #1,758
1940s 291 29 +99% #1,266
1950s 138 14 -53% #1,946
1960s 57 6 -59% #3,959
1970s 27 3 -53% #5,850
1980s – – – –
1990s – – – –
2000s – – – –
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Merrilyn

Merrilyn 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 1923, 751 American babies have been named Merrilyn. Its peak came in 1944, when 40 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 Merrilyn stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Merrilyn?

The median living Merrilyn is about 77 years old; half are between 70 and 82. An estimated 400 people named Merrilyn are alive in the United States today.

median 77 020406080100

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

Merrilyn 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 7 #6,805
1965 – –
1960 10 #4,369
1955 14 #3,185
1950 25 #1,946
1945 25 #1,690
1940 12 #2,523
1935 20 #1,758
1930 11 #2,802
1925 12 #2,884
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Merrilyn?

The median living Merrilyn is about 77 years old. Half of all living Merrilyns are between 70 and 82 years old.

How many people named Merrilyn are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Merrilyn are alive in the United States, based on 751 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Merrilyn in 2025?

Merrilyn 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 Merrilyn?

751 babies have been named Merrilyn in the United States since 1923, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Merrilyn most popular?

Merrilyn peaked in 1944, when 40 newborns received the name.

Is Merrilyn a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Merrilyn rising or falling?

Merrilyn has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Merrilyn

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

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