Girls' name · since 1929
Merilee
Since 1929, U.S. Social Security records show 1,150 babies named Merilee, peaking in 1961. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6,816 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,150
- born since 1929
- 1950s
- peak decade
1,150 girls have been named Merilee since 1929, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Merilee recorded 1,150 times among girls since 1929, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1929 to 2014.
- #6,816 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 1,150 born since 1929
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merilee ranks #6,816 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,150 born since 1929, peaking in the 1950s.
- #6,816 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,150
- born since 1929
- 1950s
- peak decade
Merilee's 1,150 recorded births place it above 90.57% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
7 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
Merilee's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Merilee splits its recorded history at 1963: 35% of all births land in the more recent half, 65% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1939 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1961 peak of 54 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Merilee popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1929–2014
- Peak year (1961)
- 54
- Annual births at peak, across 86 years of records
Merilee by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (340 births, 30% of the file).
1950s was Merilee's strongest decade.
340 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Merilee births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 6
1920s
6 births
- 1930s 28
1930s
28 births
- 1940s
1940s
252 births
- 1950s
1950s
340 births
- 1960s
1960s
254 births
- 1970s
1970s
169 births
- 1980s 91
1980s
91 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 340 births (30% of all-time use).
How Merilee 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 Merilee's total volume
Merilee by state
Where Merilee concentrates geographically, total births since 1929
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 107 | 9.3% |
| #2 | New York | | 16 | 1.4% |
| #3 | Utah | | 13 | 1.1% |
| #4 | Washington | | 10 | 0.9% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #6 | Minnesota | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Oregon | | 5 | 0.4% |
107 of 1,150 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merilee? ▼
Where does Merilee sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Merilee most popular? ▼
Where is Merilee most popular? ▼
How long has the name Merilee been used? ▼
What names are similar to Merilee? ▼
What to do with Merilee's data
- Merilee's decade-level peak was the 1950s (340 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Merilees (107 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Merilee
Nearby Names Like Merilee
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merilee
Compare Merilee side by side: Merilee vs Meredith Merilee vs Mercedes Merilee vs Merle
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Merilee: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1961)
Similar record span (~85 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, 1929–2014 (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 Merilee 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.