Total births
1,567
Girls' name · since 1916
Merida
Since 1916, U.S. Social Security records show 1,567 babies named Merida, peaking in 2017. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2442
- among girls today
- 1,567
- born since 1916
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 86%
- more common than other girls
1,567 babies have been named Merida since 1916, making it today's #2442 girls' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merida has been recorded 1,567 times among girls since 1916, currently ranked #2442 nationally and more common than 86% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 2025.
- #2442 among girls today
- 1,567 born since 1916
- 2010s peak decade
- 86% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Merida is currently the #2442 girls' name in America, more common than 86% of girls - 1,567 born since 1916, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2442
- among girls today
- 1,567
- born since 1916
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 86%
- more common than other girls
Merida vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#2442
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 86% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
46% of everyone ever named Merida was born in this single decade.
2017
Single peak year
116 babies were named Merida in 2017 - its busiest year on record.
How Merida compares
1,567 Top 25% higher than 75% 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
Merida's all-time total is 4x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Merida | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,567 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 116 | 48 | 19,840 |
Merida's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Merida's full recorded timeline at 1968, 85% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 15% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1921, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2017 peak of 116 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Merida at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2017
Current rank
#2,442
Active since
1916
Merida popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2025
- Peak year (2017)
- 116
- Annual births at peak, across 110 years of records
Merida popularity over time - boys
5 total births recorded since 1880 (Merida as boys' name)
Merida by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Merida's strongest decade.
719 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 46% of all-time use.
Merida births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 6
1910s
6 births
- 1920s 17
1920s
17 births
- 1930s 46
1930s
46 births
- 1940s 65
1940s
65 births
- 1950s 50
1950s
50 births
- 1960s 66
1960s
66 births
- 1970s 59
1970s
59 births
- 1980s 43
1980s
43 births
- 1990s 20
1990s
20 births
- 2000s 10
2000s
10 births
- 2010s
2010s
719 births
- 2020s
2020s
466 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 719 births (46% of all-time use).
How Merida 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 Merida's total volume
Merida vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Merida by state
Where Merida concentrates geographically, total births since 1916
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 177 | 11.3% |
| #2 | California | | 157 | 10.0% |
| #3 | Florida | | 39 | 2.5% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 30 | 1.9% |
| #5 | Indiana | | 18 | 1.1% |
| #6 | Missouri | | 15 | 1.0% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 15 | 1.0% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 13 | 0.8% |
Texas share of Merida's total US births 11.3%
Even split
177 of 1,567 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 17 reporting states.
Merida appears in 17 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merida? ▼
Since 1916, Social Security records show 1,567 babies named Merida. Today it holds rank #2442 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2017, with 116 births.
When was Merida most popular? ▼
Merida was most popular in the 2010s decade with 719 total births. The single peak year was 2017.
Where is Merida most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Merida are Texas (177 births), California (157 births), Florida (39 births).
How long has the name Merida been used? ▼
Records for Merida go back to 1916, giving 110 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Merida? ▼
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 Merida's data
- Merida's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (719 total births) through the 2020s (466) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Meridas (177 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 Merida
Nearby Names Like Merida
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merida
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 Merida side by side: Merida vs Meredith Merida vs Mercedes Merida vs Merle
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Merida
Adora #2441
2,373 births · Peak 2021
Porter #2443
993 births · Peak 2022
Annmarie #2440
19,003 births · Peak 1969
Sima #2444
2,125 births · Peak 2024
Annemarie #2439
12,383 births · Peak 1968
Ilana #2445
5,678 births · Peak 1992
Valarie #2438
18,714 births · Peak 1964
Anjali #2446
5,822 births · Peak 2005
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, 1916–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Merida: #2442 Girls' Name - 1,567 Births, Peak 2017." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/merida. 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 Merida 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.