Total births
2,574
Unisex name · since 1886
Merl
Merl has 2,574 recorded births since 1886 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1922 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 2,574
- total births
- 1886–1986
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 27%
- born in that decade
Merl is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 2,574 have been recorded since 1886.
Merl has 2,574 recorded births among boys since 1886, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1886 to 1986.
- 2,574 total births
- 1886–1986 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 27% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
2,574 boys have been named Merl since 1886, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1986.
- 2,574
- total births
- 1886–1986
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 27%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Merl was born in this single decade.
1922
Single peak year
83 babies were named Merl in 1922 - its busiest year on record.
Merl's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Merl splits its recorded history at 1936: 38% of all births land in the more recent half, 62% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1895 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1922 peak of 83 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Merl at a glance
Last recorded 1986Peak year
1922
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1886
Merl popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–1986
- Peak year (1922)
- 83
- Annual births at peak, across 101 years of records
Merl popularity over time - girls
278 total births recorded since 1895 (Merl as girls' name)
Merl by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Merl's strongest decade.
693 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Merl births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 15
1880s
15 births
- 1890s 58
1890s
58 births
- 1900s 69
1900s
69 births
- 1910s
1910s
503 births
- 1920s
1920s
693 births
- 1930s
1930s
411 births
- 1940s
1940s
331 births
- 1950s 265
1950s
265 births
- 1960s 145
1960s
145 births
- 1970s 69
1970s
69 births
- 1980s 15
1980s
15 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 693 births (27% of all-time use).
How Merl compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Merl's total volume
Merl vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Merl by state
Where Merl concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Indiana | | 100 | 3.9% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 92 | 3.6% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 85 | 3.3% |
| #4 | Oklahoma | | 60 | 2.3% |
| #5 | Iowa | | 52 | 2.0% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 52 | 2.0% |
| #7 | Missouri | | 43 | 1.7% |
| #8 | Kansas | | 34 | 1.3% |
Indiana share of Merl's total US births 3.9%
Even split
100 of 2,574 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 18 reporting states.
Merl appears in 18 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merl? ▼
Merl has been given to 2,574 babies in the U.S. since 1886, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1986. 83 babies were born in 1922, its single highest year.
When was Merl most popular? ▼
Merl was most popular in the 1920s decade with 693 total births. The single peak year was 1922.
Where is Merl most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Merl are Indiana (100 births), Pennsylvania (92 births), Ohio (85 births).
Is Merl a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Merl is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 2,574 births, and as a girl's name it has 278 births.
How long has the name Merl been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Merl since 1886 -- 101 years through the most recent 1986 data.
What names are similar to Merl? ▼
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 Merl's data
- Merl's decade-level peak was the 1920s (693 total births); usage has since declined to 15 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Indiana records the most Merls (100 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Indiana names
- 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 Merl
Nearby Names Like Merl
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merl
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 Merl side by side: Merl vs Merle Merl vs Merlin Merl vs Merrill
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1886–1986 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Merl: Baby Name Since 1886 - 2,574 Births, Peak 1922." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/merl. 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 Merl 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.