Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1956

Meryl

Meaning A female given name from Scottish Gaelic, variant of Muriel Gender Unisex · 92% girls Rank 2025 #8,689

A female given name from Scottish Gaelic, variant of Muriel.

Rank 2025
#8,689
among girls · ↓3,135 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
12
named Meryl · -48% vs 2024
How common
1 in 133,939
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1956
156 babies
All-time total
5,599
#2,514 all-time among girls
First recorded
1892
in Social Security records

Meryl popularity over time

5,599 babies have been named Meryl since 1892, 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
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

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 31 – 31 3 – #1,235
1900s 49 – 49 5 +58% #1,498
1910s 188 62 250 25 +410% #1,167
1920s 315 131 446 45 +78% #1,199
1930s 290 97 387 39 -13% #1,143
1940s 627 83 710 71 +83% #773
1950s 1,283 44 1,327 133 +87% #751
1960s 611 15 626 63 -53% #1,079
1970s 199 – 199 20 -68% #2,292
1980s 663 – 663 66 +233% #1,551
1990s 335 – 335 34 -49% #2,478
2000s 203 – 203 20 -39% #5,205
2010s 263 – 263 26 +30% #3,290
2020s (to 2025) 110 – 110 18 -30% #5,554

The story of Meryl

Meryl is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #8,689 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1892, 5,599 American babies have been named Meryl, about 92% girls and 8% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1956, when 156 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 Meryl stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Meryl?

The median living Meryl is about 61 years old; half are between 37 and 72. An estimated 4,000 people named Meryl are alive in the United States today.

median 61 020406080100

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

Meryl 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 12 #8,689 – –
2024 23 #5,554 – –
2023 20 #6,098 – –
2022 16 #7,188 – –
2021 17 #6,884 – –
2020 22 #5,602 – –
2019 22 #5,735 – –
2018 25 #5,278 – –
2017 20 #6,213 – –
2016 30 #4,702 – –
2015 50 #3,290 – –
2014 29 #4,858 – –
2013 18 #6,930 – –
2012 34 #4,355 – –
2011 17 #7,322 – –
2010 18 #7,123 – –
2009 27 #5,333 – –
2008 17 #7,636 – –
2007 22 #6,254 – –
2006 25 #5,492 – –
2005 25 #5,205 – –
2004 15 #7,700 – –
2003 22 #5,544 – –
2002 20 #5,827 – –
2001 11 #9,155 – –
2000 19 #5,863 – –
1995 33 #3,401 – –
1990 49 #2,478 – –
1985 72 #1,644 – –
1980 63 #1,755 – –
1975 14 #4,500 – –
1970 34 #2,292 – –
1965 51 #1,567 – –
1960 100 #1,079 – –
1955 125 #870 9 #2,907
1950 124 #780 6 #3,570
1945 69 #912 6 #3,209
1940 15 #2,180 – –
1935 25 #1,502 7 #3,157
1930 37 #1,244 12 #2,403
1925 35 #1,366 17 #1,985
1920 32 #1,432 13 #2,413
1915 19 #1,772 10 #2,562
1910 8 #1,884 – –
1905 8 #1,498 – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Meryl

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

  1. 1 Meryl Streep Meryl Streep American actress (born 1949) Contemporary
  2. 2 Meryl Davis Meryl Davis American ice dancer (born 1987) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Meryl?

The median living Meryl is about 61 years old. Half of all living Meryls are between 37 and 72 years old.

How many people named Meryl are alive today?

An estimated 4,000 people named Meryl are alive in the United States, based on 5,599 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Meryl mean?

A female given name from Scottish Gaelic, variant of Muriel.

How popular is the name Meryl in 2025?

Meryl ranked #8,689 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Meryl?

5,599 babies have been named Meryl in the United States since 1892, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Meryl most popular?

Meryl peaked in 1956, when 156 newborns received the name.

Is Meryl a boy or girl name?

Meryl is used for both: about 92% of babies named Meryl have been girls and 8% boys.

Is the name Meryl rising or falling?

Meryl is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Meryl?

Well-known people named Meryl include Meryl Streep (actor), Meryl Davis (skater).

Names like Meryl

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

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