Total births
2,502
Girls' name · since 1917
Meri
Meri has 2,502 recorded births since 1917 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1961 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #8018
- among girls today
- 2,502
- born since 1917
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 55%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Meri is the #8018 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 2,502 recorded since 1917.
Social Security Administration records show Meri recorded 2,502 times among girls since 1917, holding rank #8018 nationally today, ahead of 55% of girls, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1917 to 2025.
- #8018 among girls today
- 2,502 born since 1917
- 1960s peak decade
- 55% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Meri is currently the #8018 girls' name in America, more common than 55% of girls - 2,502 born since 1917, peaking in the 1960s.
- #8018
- among girls today
- 2,502
- born since 1917
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 55%
- more common than other girls
Meri vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#8018
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 55% of names given to girls today.
1960s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Meri was born in this single decade.
1961
Single peak year
89 babies were named Meri in 1961 - its busiest year on record.
How Meri compares
2,502 Top 19% higher than 81% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Meri's all-time total is 7x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Meri | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,502 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 89 | 48 | 19,840 |
Meri's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Meri's full recorded timeline at 1979, 26% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 74% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1917, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1961 peak of 89 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Meri at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1961
Current rank
#8,018
Active since
1917
Meri popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1917–2025
- Peak year (1961)
- 89
- Annual births at peak, across 109 years of records
Meri by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Meri's strongest decade.
644 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Meri births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 11
1910s
11 births
- 1920s 20
1920s
20 births
- 1930s 15
1930s
15 births
- 1940s
1940s
265 births
- 1950s
1950s
543 births
- 1960s
1960s
644 births
- 1970s
1970s
379 births
- 1980s 180
1980s
180 births
- 1990s 157
1990s
157 births
- 2000s 133
2000s
133 births
- 2010s 91
2010s
91 births
- 2020s 64
2020s
64 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 644 births (26% of all-time use).
How Meri compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Meri's total volume
Meri vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Meri by state
Where Meri concentrates geographically, total births since 1917
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 143 | 5.7% |
| #2 | New York | | 128 | 5.1% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 50 | 2.0% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 46 | 1.8% |
| #5 | Texas | | 42 | 1.7% |
| #6 | Wisconsin | | 15 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Washington | | 14 | 0.6% |
| #8 | Florida | | 13 | 0.5% |
California share of Meri's total US births 5.7%
Even split
143 of 2,502 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 12 reporting states.
Meri appears in 12 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Meri? ▼
Since 1917, Social Security records show 2,502 babies named Meri. Today it holds rank #8018 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1961, with 89 births.
When was Meri most popular? ▼
Meri was most popular in the 1960s decade with 644 total births. The single peak year was 1961.
Where is Meri most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Meri are California (143 births), New York (128 births), Michigan (50 births).
How long has the name Meri been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Meri since 1917 -- 109 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Meri? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Meredith, Mercedes, Merle, Mercy, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Meri's data
- Meri's decade-level peak was the 1960s (644 total births); usage has since declined to 64 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Meris (143 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 Meri
Nearby Names Like Meri
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Meri
Meredith Girl
#492 77,787 births
Mercedes Girl
#1446 46,206 births
Merle Girl
14,723 births
Mercy Girl
#845 10,632 births
Merry Girl
#6942 10,369 births
Compare Meri side by side: Meri vs Meredith Meri vs Mercedes Meri vs Merle
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Meri
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, 1917–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Meri: #8018 Girls' Name - 2,502 Births, Peak 1961." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/meri. 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 Meri 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.