Total births
206
Unisex name · since 1972
Mercury
206 babies named Mercury in U.S. Social Security records since 1972, with the highest year being 2023. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #7902
- among boys today
- 206
- born since 1972
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 45%
- more common than other boys
Mercury currently ranks #7902 among unisex names in America, with 206 babies recorded since 1972.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Mercury has been recorded 206 times among boys since 1972, currently ranked #7902 nationally and more common than 45% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2020s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1972 to 2025.
- #7902 among boys today
- 206 born since 1972
- 2020s peak decade
- 45% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Mercury is currently the #7902 unisex name in America, more common than 45% of boys - 206 born since 1972, peaking in the 2020s.
- #7902
- among boys today
- 206
- born since 1972
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 45%
- more common than other boys
Mercury vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#7902
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 45% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Mercury was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
16 babies were named Mercury in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Mercury compares
206 39th percentile among 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Mercury's all-time total is 44% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Mercury | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 206 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 16 | 23 | 22,252 |
Mercury's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Mercury's SSA record in two at 2012 and the more recent half accounts for 61% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 39%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 2001, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2023 peak of 16, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Mercury at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2023
Current rank
#7,902
Active since
1972
Mercury popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1972–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
Mercury popularity over time - girls
94 total births recorded since 2009 (Mercury as girls' name)
Mercury by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Mercury's strongest decade.
70 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Mercury births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s
1970s
30 births
- 1990s
1990s
28 births
- 2000s 16
2000s
16 births
- 2010s
2010s
62 births
- 2020s
2020s
70 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 70 births (34% of all-time use).
Mercury by state
Where Mercury concentrates geographically, total births since 1972
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 2.4% |
California share of Mercury's total US births 2.4%
5 of 206 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Mercury? ▼
206 babies have been named Mercury since 1972. It currently ranks #7902 among boys. The peak year was 2023 with 16 births.
When was Mercury most popular? ▼
Mercury was most popular in the 2020s decade with 70 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Where is Mercury most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Mercury are California (5 births).
Is Mercury a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Mercury is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 206 births, and as a girl's name it has 94 births.
How long has the name Mercury been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Mercury since 1972 -- 54 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Mercury? ▼
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 Mercury's data
- California records the most Mercurys (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Mercury
Nearby Names Like Mercury
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Mercury
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 Mercury side by side: Mercury vs Merle Mercury vs Merlin Mercury vs Merrill
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Mercury
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, 1972–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Mercury: #7902 Unisex Name - 206 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/mercury. 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 Mercury 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.