Girls' name · since 1913
Merlene
Since 1913, U.S. Social Security records show 2,379 babies named Merlene, peaking in 1940. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4,181 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 2,379
- born since 1913
- 1930s
- peak decade
Merlene is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 2,379 have been recorded since 1913.
Social Security Administration records show Merlene recorded 2,379 times among girls since 1913, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1930s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1913 to 1984.
- #4,181 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 2,379 born since 1913
- 1930s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merlene ranks #4,181 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 2,379 born since 1913, peaking in the 1930s.
- #4,181 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 2,379
- born since 1913
- 1930s
- peak decade
Merlene's 2,379 recorded births place it above 94.22% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
15 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Texas.
Merlene's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Merlene splits its recorded history at 1946: 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 1913 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1940 peak of 93 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Merlene popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1913–1984
- Peak year (1940)
- 93
- Annual births at peak, across 72 years of records
Merlene by decade
1930s is the heaviest window (687 births, 29% of the file).
1930s was Merlene's strongest decade.
687 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Merlene births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 76
1910s
76 births
- 1920s
1920s
307 births
- 1930s
1930s
687 births
- 1940s
1940s
632 births
- 1950s
1950s
432 births
- 1960s 181
1960s
181 births
- 1970s 53
1970s
53 births
- 1980s 11
1980s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 687 births (29% of all-time use).
How Merlene 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 Merlene's total volume
Merlene by state
Where Merlene concentrates geographically, total births since 1913
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 217 | 9.1% |
| #2 | California | | 82 | 3.4% |
| #3 | Louisiana | | 42 | 1.8% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 37 | 1.6% |
| #5 | Utah | | 34 | 1.4% |
| #6 | Oklahoma | | 32 | 1.3% |
| #7 | Arkansas | | 23 | 1.0% |
| #8 | Mississippi | | 17 | 0.7% |
217 of 2,379 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 15 reporting states.
Merlene appears in 15 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merlene? ▼
Where does Merlene sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Merlene most popular? ▼
Where is Merlene most popular? ▼
How long has the name Merlene been used? ▼
What names are similar to Merlene? ▼
What to do with Merlene's data
- Merlene's decade-level peak was the 1930s (687 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Merlenes (217 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Merlene
Nearby Names Like Merlene
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merlene
Compare Merlene side by side: Merlene vs Meredith Merlene vs Mercedes Merlene 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 Merlene: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1940)
Similar record span (~71 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, 1913–1984 (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 Merlene 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.