Total births
424
Girls' name · since 1908
Merla
Merla has 424 recorded births since 1908 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1949 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 424
- total births
- 1908–1966
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 27%
- born in that decade
424 girls have been named Merla since 1908, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merla has been recorded 424 times among girls since 1908, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1940s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1908 to 1966.
- 424 total births
- 1908–1966 years on record
- 1940s peak decade
- 27% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
424 girls have been named Merla since 1908, peaking in the 1940s, last recorded in 1966.
- 424
- total births
- 1908–1966
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 27%
- born in that decade
1940s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Merla was born in this single decade.
1949
Single peak year
16 babies were named Merla in 1949 - its busiest year on record.
Merla's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Merla's SSA record in two at 1941 and the more recent half accounts for 53% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 47%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1926, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1949 peak of 16, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Merla at a glance
Last recorded 1966Peak year
1949
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1908
Merla popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1908–1966
- Peak year (1949)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 59 years of records
Merla by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1940s was Merla's strongest decade.
116 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Merla births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 6
1900s
6 births
- 1910s 19
1910s
19 births
- 1920s
1920s
59 births
- 1930s
1930s
107 births
- 1940s
1940s
116 births
- 1950s
1950s
90 births
- 1960s 27
1960s
27 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 116 births (27% of all-time use).
Merla by state
Where Merla concentrates geographically, total births since 1908
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Iowa | | 5 | 1.2% |
Iowa share of Merla's total US births 1.2%
5 of 424 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merla? ▼
Merla has been given to 424 babies in the U.S. since 1908, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1966. 16 babies were born in 1949, its single highest year.
When was Merla most popular? ▼
Merla was most popular in the 1940s decade with 116 total births. The single peak year was 1949.
Where is Merla most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Merla are Iowa (5 births).
How long has the name Merla been used? ▼
Merla has been recorded in Social Security data since 1908, spanning 59 years of data through 1966.
What names are similar to Merla? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Meredith, Mercedes, Merle, Mercy, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Merla's data
- Merla's decade-level peak was the 1940s (116 total births); usage has since declined to 27 in the 1960s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Iowa records the most Merlas (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Iowa 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 Merla
Nearby Names Like Merla
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merla
Meredith Girl
#492 77,787 births
Mercedes Girl
#1446 46,206 births
Merle Girl
14,723 births
Mercy Girl
#845 10,632 births
Merry Girl
#6942 10,369 births
Compare Merla side by side: Merla vs Meredith Merla vs Mercedes Merla vs Merle
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1908–1966 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Merla: Baby Name Since 1908 - 424 Births, Peak 1949." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/merla. 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 Merla 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 July 2026.