Girls' name · since 1912
Merita
Since 1912, U.S. Social Security records show 1,121 babies named Merita, peaking in 1955. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6,931 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,121
- born since 1912
- 1950s
- peak decade
Merita is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 1,121 have been recorded since 1912.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merita has been recorded 1,121 times among girls since 1912, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 1999.
- #6,931 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 1,121 born since 1912
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merita ranks #6,931 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,121 born since 1912, peaking in the 1950s.
- #6,931 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,121
- born since 1912
- 1950s
- peak decade
Merita's 1,121 recorded births place it above 90.41% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 4 jurisdictions, led by North Carolina.
Merita's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Merita's full recorded timeline at 1953, 47% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 53% 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 1955 peak of 46 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Merita popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–1999
- Peak year (1955)
- 46
- Annual births at peak, across 88 years of records
Merita by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (302 births, 27% of the file).
1950s was Merita's strongest decade.
302 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Merita births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 22
1910s
22 births
- 1920s 89
1920s
89 births
- 1930s
1930s
176 births
- 1940s
1940s
226 births
- 1950s
1950s
302 births
- 1960s
1960s
159 births
- 1970s 64
1970s
64 births
- 1980s 37
1980s
37 births
- 1990s 46
1990s
46 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 302 births (27% of all-time use).
How Merita 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 Merita's total volume
Merita by state
Where Merita concentrates geographically, total births since 1912
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 50 | 4.5% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 36 | 3.2% |
| #3 | Alabama | | 13 | 1.2% |
| #4 | South Carolina | | 12 | 1.1% |
50 of 1,121 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merita? ▼
Where does Merita sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Merita most popular? ▼
Where is Merita most popular? ▼
How long has the name Merita been used? ▼
What names are similar to Merita? ▼
What to do with Merita's data
- Merita's decade-level peak was the 1950s (302 total births); usage has since declined to 46 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Meritas (50 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Merita
Nearby Names Like Merita
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merita
Compare Merita side by side: Merita vs Meredith Merita vs Mercedes Merita 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 Merita: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1955)
Similar record span (~87 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, 1912–1999 (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 Merita 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.