Girls' name · since 1965
Merina
Since 1965, U.S. Social Security records show 338 babies named Merina, peaking in 1998. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #14,949 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 338
- born since 1965
- 1990s
- peak decade
Merina is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 338 have been recorded since 1965.
Social Security Administration records show Merina recorded 338 times among girls since 1965, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1965 to 2024.
- #14,949 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 338 born since 1965
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merina ranks #14,949 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 338 born since 1965, peaking in the 1990s.
- #14,949 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 338
- born since 1965
- 1990s
- peak decade
Merina's 338 recorded births place it above 79.32% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by California.
Merina's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Merina's full recorded timeline at 2001, 39% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 61% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1965, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1998 peak of 19 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Merina popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1965–2024
- Peak year (1998)
- 19
- Annual births at peak, across 60 years of records
Merina by decade
1990s is the heaviest window (146 births, 43% of the file).
1990s was Merina's strongest decade.
146 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 43% of all-time use.
Merina births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
- 1970s 11
1970s
11 births
- 1980s 29
1980s
29 births
- 1990s
1990s
146 births
- 2000s
2000s
76 births
- 2010s 55
2010s
55 births
- 2020s 16
2020s
16 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 146 births (43% of all-time use).
Merina by state
Where Merina concentrates geographically, total births since 1965
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 32 | 9.5% |
32 of 338 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Merina's data
- Merina's decade-level peak was the 1990s (146 total births); usage has since declined to 16 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Merinas (32 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 Merina
Nearby Names Like Merina
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merina
Compare Merina side by side: Merina vs Meredith Merina vs Mercedes Merina 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 Merina: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1998)
Similar record span (~59 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, 1965–2024 (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 Merina 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.