Total births
1,391
Girls' name · since 1897
Meriam
Since 1897, U.S. Social Security records show 1,391 babies named Meriam, peaking in 1923. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #9584
- among girls today
- 1,391
- born since 1897
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 46%
- more common than other girls
1,391 babies have been named Meriam since 1897, making it today's #9584 girls' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Meriam has been recorded 1,391 times among girls since 1897, currently ranked #9584 nationally and more common than 46% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1897 to 2024.
- #9584 among girls today
- 1,391 born since 1897
- 1920s peak decade
- 46% more common than other girls
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Meriam is currently the #9584 girls' name in America, more common than 46% of girls - 1,391 born since 1897, peaking in the 1920s.
- #9584
- among girls today
- 1,391
- born since 1897
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 46%
- more common than other girls
Meriam vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#9584
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 46% of names given to girls today.
1920s
Peak decade
20% of everyone ever named Meriam was born in this single decade.
1923
Single peak year
35 babies were named Meriam in 1923 - its busiest year on record.
How Meriam compares
1,391 Top 27% higher than 73% 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
Meriam's all-time total is 4x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Meriam | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,391 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 35 | 48 | 19,840 |
Meriam's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Meriam's full recorded timeline at 1962, 42% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 58% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1897, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1923 peak of 35 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Meriam at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1923
Current rank
#9,584
Active since
1897
Meriam popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1897–2024
- Peak year (1923)
- 35
- Annual births at peak, across 128 years of records
Meriam by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Meriam's strongest decade.
281 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Meriam births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1900s 15
1900s
15 births
- 1910s
1910s
139 births
- 1920s
1920s
281 births
- 1930s
1930s
147 births
- 1940s
1940s
122 births
- 1950s 83
1950s
83 births
- 1960s 54
1960s
54 births
- 1970s 39
1970s
39 births
- 1980s 64
1980s
64 births
- 1990s 88
1990s
88 births
- 2000s
2000s
160 births
- 2010s
2010s
146 births
- 2020s 48
2020s
48 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 281 births (20% of all-time use).
How Meriam 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 Meriam's total volume
Meriam vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Meriam by state
Where Meriam concentrates geographically, total births since 1897
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 82 | 5.9% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 12 | 0.9% |
| #3 | Alabama | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #4 | Indiana | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #5 | New York | | 5 | 0.4% |
Pennsylvania share of Meriam's total US births 5.9%
Even split
82 of 1,391 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Meriam? ▼
Since 1897, Social Security records show 1,391 babies named Meriam. Today it holds rank #9584 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1923, with 35 births.
When was Meriam most popular? ▼
Meriam was most popular in the 1920s decade with 281 total births. The single peak year was 1923.
Where is Meriam most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Meriam are Pennsylvania (82 births), Ohio (12 births), Alabama (5 births).
How long has the name Meriam been used? ▼
Records for Meriam go back to 1897, giving 128 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Meriam? ▼
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 Meriam's data
- Meriam's decade-level peak was the 1920s (281 total births); usage has since declined to 48 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Meriams (82 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania 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 Meriam
Nearby Names Like Meriam
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Meriam
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 Meriam side by side: Meriam vs Meredith Meriam vs Mercedes Meriam vs Merle
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Meriam
Johnny #9583
3,778 births · Peak 1959
Gladis #9585
3,071 births · Peak 1990
Gwendoline #9582
358 births · Peak 1924
Gilda #9586
10,078 births · Peak 1947
Audry #9581
4,029 births · Peak 1928
Daniel #9587
8,279 births · Peak 1985
Rufina #9580
1,041 births · Peak 1928
Delena #9588
2,173 births · Peak 1967
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1897–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Meriam: #9584 Girls' Name - 1,391 Births, Peak 1923." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/meriam. 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 Meriam 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 July 2026.