Girls' name · since 1931
Merlinda
Merlinda has 530 recorded births since 1931 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1964 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #11,425 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 530
- born since 1931
- 1960s
- peak decade
530 girls have been named Merlinda since 1931, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Merlinda has 530 recorded births among girls since 1931, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1960s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1931 to 2009.
- #11,425 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 530 born since 1931
- 1960s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merlinda ranks #11,425 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 530 born since 1931, peaking in the 1960s.
- #11,425 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 530
- born since 1931
- 1960s
- peak decade
Merlinda's 530 recorded births place it above 84.2% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by New Mexico.
Merlinda's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Merlinda's full recorded timeline at 1965, 49% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 51% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1931, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1964 peak of 22 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Merlinda popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1931–2009
- Peak year (1964)
- 22
- Annual births at peak, across 79 years of records
Merlinda by decade
1960s is the heaviest window (150 births, 28% of the file).
1960s was Merlinda's strongest decade.
150 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Merlinda births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 15
1930s
15 births
- 1940s
1940s
65 births
- 1950s
1950s
121 births
- 1960s
1960s
150 births
- 1970s
1970s
93 births
- 1980s
1980s
61 births
- 1990s 14
1990s
14 births
- 2000s 11
2000s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 150 births (28% of all-time use).
How Merlinda 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 Merlinda's total volume
Merlinda by state
Where Merlinda concentrates geographically, total births since 1931
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Mexico | | 83 | 15.7% |
| #2 | Arizona | | 10 | 1.9% |
83 of 530 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merlinda? ▼
Where does Merlinda sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Merlinda most popular? ▼
Where is Merlinda most popular? ▼
How long has the name Merlinda been used? ▼
What names are similar to Merlinda? ▼
What to do with Merlinda's data
- Merlinda's decade-level peak was the 1960s (150 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New Mexico records the most Merlindas (83 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New Mexico names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Merlinda
Nearby Names Like Merlinda
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merlinda
Compare Merlinda side by side: Merlinda vs Meredith Merlinda vs Mercedes Merlinda 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 Merlinda: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1964)
Similar record span (~78 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, 1931–2009 (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 Merlinda 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.