Merle
Merle is given to both girls and boys: 5 girls and 33 boys were given it in 2025 (#16,470 among girls’ names and #3,484 among boys’, #6,798 among all names counting both); 45,389 Americans have been recorded with it since 1880 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026). Boys have outnumbered girls among babies named Merle every year since 1912.
An estimated 11,000 Americans named Merle and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (24% of everyone recorded); the median is 73 years old and half are between 60 and 81.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Merle by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Merle mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Merle is “a male given name transferred from the surname.”
Also “a female given name from English.”
Borrowed from French Merle.
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Merle?
#3,484 among boys’ names, 2025
Merle rose from #4,651 in 2015 to #3,484 in 2025 among boys’ names; its share of boys born rose from 11.0 to 19.3 per million.
1,275 babies in 1921, the peak
Merle peaked in 1921, when 1,275 babies were given it (833 boys, #173 among boys’ names). The 38 births of 2025 (girls and boys) are 3% of that peak.
Births by sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | #16,470 | 33 | #3,484 |
| 2024 | under 5 | 22 | #4,650 | |
| 2023 | under 5 | 40 | #3,096 | |
| 2022 | under 5 | 27 | #4,056 | |
| 2021 | under 5 | 22 | #4,585 | |
| 2020 | under 5 | 33 | #3,386 | |
| 2019 | under 5 | 22 | #4,585 | |
| 2018 | under 5 | 23 | #4,439 | |
| 2017 | under 5 | 20 | #4,870 | |
| 2016 | under 5 | 14 | #6,229 |
Every recorded year (146)
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | under 5 | 21 | #4,651 | |
| 2014 | under 5 | 15 | #5,898 | |
| 2013 | under 5 | 16 | #5,552 | |
| 2012 | under 5 | 9 | #8,633 | |
| 2011 | under 5 | 18 | #5,118 | |
| 2010 | under 5 | 22 | #4,465 | |
| 2009 | under 5 | 22 | #4,532 | |
| 2008 | under 5 | 19 | #5,001 | |
| 2007 | under 5 | 17 | #5,348 | |
| 2006 | under 5 | 26 | #3,858 | |
| 2005 | under 5 | 18 | #4,760 | |
| 2004 | 5 | #17,890 | 21 | #4,205 |
| 2003 | 5 | #17,464 | 22 | #3,917 |
| 2002 | under 5 | 13 | #5,614 | |
| 2001 | under 5 | 30 | #3,033 | |
| 2000 | under 5 | 26 | #3,261 | |
| 1999 | under 5 | 23 | #3,446 | |
| 1998 | under 5 | 20 | #3,660 | |
| 1997 | under 5 | 28 | #2,793 | |
| 1996 | under 5 | 28 | #2,718 | |
| 1995 | 6 | #12,786 | 35 | #2,274 |
| 1994 | under 5 | 26 | #2,817 | |
| 1993 | 6 | #12,867 | 34 | #2,271 |
| 1992 | 6 | #12,788 | 33 | #2,279 |
| 1991 | 5 | #14,578 | 32 | #2,268 |
| 1990 | under 5 | 33 | #2,192 | |
| 1989 | 13 | #6,402 | 28 | #2,388 |
| 1988 | under 5 | 48 | #1,538 | |
| 1987 | 6 | #10,747 | 43 | #1,626 |
| 1986 | 6 | #10,396 | 35 | #1,776 |
| 1985 | under 5 | 49 | #1,405 | |
| 1984 | 6 | #9,906 | 51 | #1,309 |
| 1983 | under 5 | 65 | #1,115 | |
| 1982 | 8 | #7,940 | 57 | #1,238 |
| 1981 | 13 | #5,471 | 67 | #1,120 |
| 1980 | 5 | #11,494 | 59 | #1,196 |
| 1979 | 7 | #8,639 | 80 | #1,000 |
| 1978 | 11 | #5,827 | 60 | #1,142 |
| 1977 | under 5 | 80 | #960 | |
| 1976 | 5 | #10,284 | 65 | #1,034 |
| 1975 | 8 | #6,896 | 73 | #963 |
| 1974 | 9 | #6,062 | 79 | #918 |
| 1973 | 13 | #4,506 | 93 | #828 |
| 1972 | 13 | #4,448 | 111 | #756 |
| 1971 | 10 | #5,368 | 157 | #657 |
| 1970 | 18 | #3,524 | 131 | #720 |
| 1969 | 17 | #3,411 | 111 | #745 |
| 1968 | 21 | #2,840 | 135 | #653 |
| 1967 | 19 | #2,935 | 92 | #764 |
| 1966 | 24 | #2,499 | 121 | #676 |
| 1965 | 24 | #2,512 | 159 | #608 |
| 1964 | 38 | #1,935 | 166 | #609 |
| 1963 | 46 | #1,704 | 187 | #580 |
| 1962 | 53 | #1,550 | 180 | #582 |
| 1961 | 59 | #1,458 | 176 | #595 |
| 1960 | 62 | #1,397 | 176 | #589 |
| 1959 | 75 | #1,238 | 227 | #523 |
| 1958 | 95 | #1,077 | 232 | #505 |
| 1957 | 88 | #1,121 | 256 | #487 |
| 1956 | 107 | #985 | 292 | #440 |
| 1955 | 115 | #918 | 289 | #430 |
| 1954 | 137 | #803 | 307 | #409 |
| 1953 | 123 | #835 | 325 | #387 |
| 1952 | 134 | #771 | 340 | #366 |
| 1951 | 136 | #753 | 368 | #359 |
| 1950 | 141 | #720 | 395 | #338 |
| 1949 | 153 | #677 | 354 | #357 |
| 1948 | 179 | #617 | 432 | #322 |
| 1947 | 203 | #602 | 392 | #345 |
| 1946 | 206 | #549 | 406 | #319 |
| 1945 | 205 | #512 | 373 | #307 |
| 1944 | 239 | #466 | 391 | #305 |
| 1943 | 232 | #486 | 448 | #290 |
| 1942 | 275 | #441 | 442 | #288 |
| 1941 | 225 | #464 | 482 | #254 |
| 1940 | 237 | #443 | 467 | #254 |
| 1939 | 275 | #406 | 529 | #225 |
| 1938 | 264 | #415 | 525 | #228 |
| 1937 | 302 | #370 | 519 | #229 |
| 1936 | 341 | #338 | 568 | #209 |
| 1935 | 270 | #390 | 521 | #226 |
| 1934 | 212 | #449 | 599 | #207 |
| 1933 | 183 | #476 | 573 | #204 |
| 1932 | 200 | #461 | 593 | #211 |
| 1931 | 213 | #442 | 662 | #198 |
| 1930 | 237 | #437 | 711 | #196 |
| 1929 | 224 | #440 | 731 | #188 |
| 1928 | 293 | #390 | 764 | #186 |
| 1927 | 311 | #386 | 808 | #179 |
| 1926 | 340 | #365 | 787 | #180 |
| 1925 | 404 | #333 | 836 | #175 |
| 1924 | 383 | #346 | 782 | #184 |
| 1923 | 409 | #321 | 775 | #180 |
| 1922 | 394 | #330 | 835 | #172 |
| 1921 | 442 | #311 | 833 | #173 |
| 1920 | 403 | #324 | 819 | #171 |
| 1919 | 370 | #331 | 721 | #182 |
| 1918 | 375 | #332 | 795 | #170 |
| 1917 | 360 | #328 | 701 | #178 |
| 1916 | 373 | #313 | 604 | #191 |
| 1915 | 353 | #315 | 595 | #186 |
| 1914 | 247 | #336 | 415 | #201 |
| 1913 | 232 | #313 | 331 | #202 |
| 1912 | 221 | #307 | 268 | #207 |
| 1911 | 151 | #322 | 115 | #236 |
| 1910 | 138 | #334 | 100 | #235 |
| 1909 | 120 | #332 | 76 | #256 |
| 1908 | 120 | #323 | 76 | #244 |
| 1907 | 112 | #330 | 82 | #226 |
| 1906 | 84 | #372 | 72 | #230 |
| 1905 | 110 | #322 | 59 | #256 |
| 1904 | 92 | #341 | 53 | #263 |
| 1903 | 112 | #295 | 69 | #216 |
| 1902 | 112 | #299 | 58 | #245 |
| 1901 | 91 | #316 | 52 | #239 |
| 1900 | 113 | #315 | 54 | #283 |
| 1899 | 88 | #320 | 42 | #264 |
| 1898 | 77 | #357 | 49 | #254 |
| 1897 | 70 | #351 | 34 | #318 |
| 1896 | 86 | #314 | 44 | #277 |
| 1895 | 91 | #303 | 46 | #265 |
| 1894 | 70 | #333 | 38 | #286 |
| 1893 | 61 | #346 | 27 | #344 |
| 1892 | 60 | #341 | 38 | #302 |
| 1891 | 46 | #371 | 34 | #281 |
| 1890 | 68 | #307 | 26 | #346 |
| 1889 | 42 | #376 | 35 | #287 |
| 1888 | 25 | #509 | 15 | #518 |
| 1887 | 12 | #681 | 24 | #338 |
| 1886 | 14 | #627 | 22 | #376 |
| 1885 | 16 | #551 | 26 | #337 |
| 1884 | 16 | #534 | 19 | #424 |
| 1883 | 15 | #508 | 23 | #349 |
| 1882 | 11 | #589 | 13 | #530 |
| 1881 | 6 | #795 | 13 | #498 |
| 1880 | 6 | #810 | 17 | #437 |
Ranks: girls’ names and boys’ names ranked separately in each year’s SSA file; “under 5” is a year SSA did not list the name for that sex.
Is Merle a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Of the 45,389 Americans recorded as Merle, 32% are girls and 68% boys.
Years with fewer than 20 babies given the name are left blank.
Girls and boys named Merle: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Merle, and how old are they?
11,000 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 24% of the 45,389 Americans ever recorded as Merle. The median Merle alive today is 73 years old; half are between 60 and 81.
The 2020 Census counted 15,757 people named Merle (5,766 women and girls, 9,991 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 14,325 born in the U.S. The Census count is 10% above that prediction. Possible reasons: the Census counts people born abroad, whom SSA’s files leave out, and it records the name people give, which SSA may have recorded under another spelling or as part of a compound name.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 2,970 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 5,070 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 1,590 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 701 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 338 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 311 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named Merle born?
The states with the most babies named Merle are Pennsylvania, Illinois and Iowa, with 28% of its births recorded by state since 1910; Iowa is not among the ten states with the most births.
| State | Since 1910 | Rank, boys | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 4,344 | not ranked | 1.3× |
| Illinois | 2,836 | not ranked | 1.2× |
| Iowa | 2,640 | not ranked | 3.2× |
| Ohio | 2,335 | not ranked | 1.1× |
| Kansas | 1,663 | not ranked | 2.7× |
| California | 1,646 | not ranked | 0.8× |
| Texas | 1,453 | not ranked | 0.6× |
| Michigan | 1,386 | not ranked | 0.8× |
| Minnesota | 1,366 | not ranked | 1.5× |
| New York | 1,360 | not ranked | 0.3× |
Where Merle is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Merle is most over-represented in South Dakota: since 1910 it was given 3.3 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among boys’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of Merle with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 2 names spelled alike, given to 45,497 babies since 1880, Merle is the most given (100% of them). In 2025 it was given to 38 of their 38 babies (100%), again the most given.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
Names that rose and fell in the same decades as Merle
Names whose births rose and fell across the same decades, measured on each decade’s share of births.
Similar histories: each decade’s share of births, from the SSA national file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
More about Merle and names like it
- Compare Merle and MearleBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 1920sMerle peaked in 1921.
- Pennsylvania’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Merle since 1910.
- From surnamesWiktionary’s origin for Merle: every such name, by how often it is given.
- The top names of 1921The year the most babies were named Merle.
- The names of the Baby BoomersMost people named Merle alive today were born 1946-1964.
- Names starting with MMost given first.