Total births
764
Unisex name · since 1905
Merced
Since 1905, U.S. Social Security records show 764 babies named Merced, peaking in 1942. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 764
- total births
- 1905–2021
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 11%
- born in that decade
Merced is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 764 have been recorded since 1905.
Merced has 764 recorded births among boys since 1905, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1905 to 2021.
- 764 total births
- 1905–2021 years on record
- 1950s peak decade
- 11% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
764 boys have been named Merced since 1905, peaking in the 1950s, last recorded in 2021.
- 764
- total births
- 1905–2021
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 11%
- born in that decade
1950s
Peak decade
11% of everyone ever named Merced was born in this single decade.
1942
Single peak year
19 babies were named Merced in 1942 - its busiest year on record.
Merced's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Merced splits its recorded history at 1964: 44% of all births land in the more recent half, 56% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1955 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1942 peak of 19 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Merced at a glance
Last recorded 2021Peak year
1942
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1905
Merced popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1905–2021
- Peak year (1942)
- 19
- Annual births at peak, across 117 years of records
Merced popularity over time - girls
181 total births recorded since 1914 (Merced as girls' name)
Merced by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Merced's strongest decade.
86 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 11% of all-time use.
Merced births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 6
1900s
6 births
- 1910s
1910s
58 births
- 1920s
1920s
82 births
- 1930s
1930s
83 births
- 1940s
1940s
84 births
- 1950s
1950s
86 births
- 1960s
1960s
62 births
- 1970s
1970s
73 births
- 1980s
1980s
75 births
- 1990s
1990s
79 births
- 2000s
2000s
52 births
- 2010s 17
2010s
17 births
- 2020s 7
2020s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 86 births (11% of all-time use).
How Merced compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Merced's total volume
Merced vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Merced by state
Where Merced concentrates geographically, total births since 1905
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 230 | 30.1% |
| #2 | California | | 39 | 5.1% |
Texas share of Merced's total US births 30.1%
Even split
230 of 764 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merced? ▼
764 babies have been named Merced since 1905. It was last recorded in 2021. The peak year was 1942 with 19 births.
When was Merced most popular? ▼
Merced was most popular in the 1950s decade with 86 total births. The single peak year was 1942.
Where is Merced most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Merced are Texas (230 births), California (39 births).
Is Merced a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Merced is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 764 births, and as a girl's name it has 181 births.
How long has the name Merced been used? ▼
Records for Merced go back to 1905, giving 117 years of history through 2021.
What names are similar to Merced? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Merle, Merlin, Merrill, Mervin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Merced's data
- Merced's decade-level peak was the 1950s (86 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Merceds (230 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Merced
Nearby Names Like Merced
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merced
Merle Boy
#4573 30,666 births
Merlin Boy
#2063 15,049 births
Merrill Boy
#10939 12,988 births
Mervin Boy
#2394 12,322 births
Merritt Boy
#1891 6,151 births
Compare Merced side by side: Merced vs Merle Merced vs Merlin Merced vs Merrill
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1905–2021 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Merced: Baby Name Since 1905 - 764 Births, Peak 1942." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/merced. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Merced draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.