Mervyn: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

–

among boys

Babies in 2025

named Mervyn

How common

–

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1937

55 babies

All-time total

1,586

#3,804 all-time among boys

First recorded

1905

in Social Security records

Mervyn popularity over time

1,586 babies have been named Mervyn since 1905, 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

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	–	5	5	1	–	#1,361
1910s	5	165	170	17	+3300%	#1,165
1920s	–	295	295	30	+74%	#1,187
1930s	–	451	451	45	+53%	#828
1940s	–	244	244	24	-46%	#1,044
1950s	–	122	122	12	-50%	#1,927
1960s	–	105	105	11	-14%	#2,005
1970s	–	67	67	7	-36%	#2,767
1980s	–	58	58	6	-13%	#3,158
1990s	–	51	51	5	-12%	#4,258
2000s	–	13	13	1	-75%	#9,075
2010s	–	5	5	1	-62%	#13,541
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–	–	–

The story of Mervyn

Mervyn 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 1905, 1,586 American babies have been named Mervyn. Its peak came in 1937, when 55 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1930s.

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

How old are people named Mervyn?

The median living Mervyn is about 67 years old; half are between 50 and 81. An estimated 600 people named Mervyn are alive in the United States today.

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

Mervyn 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	–	–	5	#13,541
2015	–	–	–	–
2014	–	–	–	–
2013	–	–	–	–
2012	–	–	–	–
2011	–	–	–	–
2010	–	–	–	–
2009	–	–	–	–
2008	–	–	–	–
2007	–	–	–	–
2006	–	–	–	–
2005	–	–	–	–
2004	–	–	–	–
2003	–	–	–	–
2002	–	–	7	#9,075
2001	–	–	6	#10,106
2000	–	–	–	–
1995	–	–	–	–
1990	–	–	8	#6,220
1985	–	–	7	#5,554
1980	–	–	7	#5,309
1975	–	–	6	#5,228
1970	–	–	7	#4,098
1965	–	–	8	#3,160
1960	–	–	9	#3,012
1955	–	–	10	#2,701
1950	–	–	16	#1,927
1945	–	–	19	#1,561
1940	–	–	39	#1,044
1935	–	–	54	#856
1930	–	–	47	#999
1925	–	–	35	#1,216
1920	–	–	36	#1,221
1915	–	–	29	#1,235
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	5	#1,361
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Mervyn

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

1 Mervyn Peake British author and illustrator (1911–1968) Contemporary
2 Mervyn LeRoy American filmmaker (1900–1987) Contemporary
3 Mervyn Rose Australian tennis player 1930–2017 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Mervyn?

The median living Mervyn is about 67 years old. Half of all living Mervyns are between 50 and 81 years old.

How many people named Mervyn are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Mervyn are alive in the United States, based on 1,586 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Mervyn mean?

Welsh Merfyn, probably from mer (“marrow”) (from Proto-Brythonic *mer) + myn (“eminent”) (compare Irish mín (“smooth, elegant, courteous”)).

How popular is the name Mervyn in 2025?

Mervyn 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 Mervyn?

1,586 babies have been named Mervyn in the United States since 1905, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Mervyn most popular?

Mervyn peaked in 1937, when 55 newborns received the name.

Is Mervyn a boy or girl name?

Mervyn is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Mervyn rising or falling?

Mervyn has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Mervyn?

Well-known people named Mervyn include Mervyn Peake (writer), Mervyn LeRoy (film director), Mervyn Rose (tennis player).

Names like Mervyn

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

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