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.

130
total births
1912–1960
years on record
1920s
peak decade
31%
born in that 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.

  • 130 total births
  • 1912–1960 years on record
  • 1920s peak decade
  • 31% born in that decade

Data updated Jun 2026

The verdict

130 boys have been named Meril since 1912, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1960.

130
total births
1912–1960
years on record
1920s
peak decade
31%
born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade

31% of everyone ever named Meril was born in this single decade.

1922
Single peak year

10 babies were named Meril in 1922 - its busiest year on record.

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 at a glance

Last recorded 1960

Total births

130

Since 1912

49 years of records

Peak year

1922

10 births that year

Strongest decade: 1920s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 1960

Active since

1912

Recorded for 49 years

Last year on file: 1960

Meril popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–1960

Last recorded 1960
Peak year (1922)
10
Annual births at peak, across 49 years of records
4681012 19121917192219281934194319541960 5

Meril popularity over time - girls

20 total births recorded since 1924 (Meril as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 20 births
5 1924194319511953 5

Meril by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

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

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 40 births (31% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of June 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Meril? ▼
Meril has been given to 130 babies in the U.S. since 1912, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1960. 10 babies were born in 1922, its single highest year.
When was Meril most popular? ▼
Meril was most popular in the 1920s decade with 40 total births. The single peak year was 1922.
Is Meril a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Meril is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 130 births, and as a girl's name it has 20 births.
How long has the name Meril been used? ▼
Meril has been recorded in Social Security data since 1912, spanning 49 years of data through 1960.
What names are similar to Meril? ▼
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 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.
  • 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 Meril

Nearby Names Like Meril

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Meril

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 Meril side by side: Meril vs Merle Meril vs Merlin Meril vs Merrill

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Bell
130 births · Peak 1915
Burnham
130 births · Peak 1918
Newel
130 births · Peak 1921
Deloyd
130 births · Peak 1935
Jerol
130 births · Peak 1938
Terrall
130 births · Peak 1980
Tery
130 births · Peak 1955
Roben
130 births · Peak 1965

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, 1912–1960 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Meril: Baby Name Since 1912 - 130 Births, Peak 1922." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/meril. 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 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 June 2026.