Unisex name · since 1912
Meril
Since 1912, U.S. Social Security records show 130 babies named Meril, peaking in 1922. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #15,717 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 130
- born since 1912
- 1920s
- peak decade
Meril is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 130 have been recorded since 1912.
Social Security Administration records show Meril recorded 130 times among boys since 1912, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 1960.
- #15,717 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 130 born since 1912
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Meril ranks #15,717 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 130 born since 1912, peaking in the 1920s.
- #15,717 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 130
- born since 1912
- 1920s
- peak decade
Meril's 130 recorded births place it above 65.41% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Meril's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Meril's full recorded timeline at 1932, 50% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 50% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1912, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1922 peak of 10 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Meril popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–1960
- Peak year (1922)
- 10
- Annual births at peak, across 49 years of records
Meril popularity over time - girls
20 total births recorded since 1924 (Meril as girls' name)
Meril by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (40 births, 31% of the file).
1920s was Meril's strongest decade.
40 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.
Meril births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
25 births
- 1920s
1920s
40 births
- 1930s
1930s
29 births
- 1940s
1940s
26 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 40 births (31% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Meril? ▼
Where does Meril sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Meril most popular? ▼
Is Meril a unisex name? ▼
How long has the name Meril been used? ▼
What names are similar to Meril? ▼
What to do with Meril's data
- Meril's decade-level peak was the 1920s (40 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1960s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Meril
Nearby Names Like Meril
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Meril
Compare Meril side by side: Meril vs Merle Meril vs Merlin Meril vs Merrill
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Meril: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1922)
Similar record span (~48 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1912–1960 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Meril 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 August 2026.