Merry
A female given name from merry.
Every Merry since 1898 — 10,369 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Merry
Merry is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #10,634 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1898, 10,369 American babies have been named Merry. Its peak came in 1954, when 355 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Merry stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Merry year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | #10,634 |
| 2024 | 16 | #7,146 |
| 2023 | 10 | #10,096 |
| 2022 | 16 | #7,187 |
| 2021 | 17 | #6,883 |
| 2020 | 17 | #6,826 |
| 2019 | 17 | #6,938 |
| 2018 | 19 | #6,428 |
| 2017 | 14 | #8,144 |
| 2016 | 32 | #4,494 |
| 2015 | 24 | #5,606 |
| 2014 | 22 | #5,921 |
| 2013 | 23 | #5,776 |
| 2012 | 18 | #7,064 |
| 2011 | 15 | #8,072 |
| 2010 | 22 | #6,110 |
| 2009 | 18 | #7,251 |
| 2008 | 23 | #6,078 |
| 2007 | 14 | #8,858 |
| 2006 | 20 | #6,525 |
| 2005 | 22 | #5,723 |
| 2004 | 30 | #4,576 |
| 2003 | 19 | #6,233 |
| 2002 | 17 | #6,593 |
| 2001 | 13 | #8,045 |
| 2000 | 24 | #4,924 |
| 1995 | 31 | #3,555 |
| 1990 | 34 | #3,269 |
| 1985 | 52 | #2,063 |
| 1980 | 45 | #2,235 |
| 1975 | 59 | #1,649 |
| 1970 | 125 | #1,005 |
| 1965 | 163 | #778 |
| 1960 | 274 | #603 |
| 1955 | 334 | #505 |
| 1950 | 292 | #474 |
| 1945 | 214 | #500 |
| 1940 | 124 | #634 |
| 1935 | 65 | #859 |
| 1930 | 40 | #1,191 |
| 1925 | 47 | #1,132 |
| 1920 | 61 | #936 |
| 1915 | 18 | #1,855 |
| 1910 | 6 | #2,320 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,139 |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Merry mean?
A female given name from merry.
How popular is the name Merry in 2025?
Merry ranked #10,634 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Merry?
10,369 babies have been named Merry in the United States since 1898, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Merry most popular?
Merry peaked in 1954, when 355 newborns received the name.
Is Merry a boy or girl name?
Merry is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Merry rising or falling?
Merry is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.