Total births
530
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.
- 530
- total births
- 1931–2009
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that 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.
- 530 total births
- 1931–2009 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 28% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
530 girls have been named Merlinda since 1931, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2009.
- 530
- total births
- 1931–2009
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Merlinda was born in this single decade.
1964
Single peak year
22 babies were named Merlinda in 1964 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 2009Peak year
1964
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1931
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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 vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
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% |
New Mexico share of Merlinda's total US births 15.7%
Even split
83 of 530 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merlinda? ▼
Merlinda has been given to 530 babies in the U.S. since 1931, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2009. 22 babies were born in 1964, its single highest year.
When was Merlinda most popular? ▼
Merlinda was most popular in the 1960s decade with 150 total births. The single peak year was 1964.
Where is Merlinda most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Merlinda are New Mexico (83 births), Arizona (10 births).
How long has the name Merlinda been used? ▼
Merlinda has been recorded in Social Security data since 1931, spanning 79 years of data through 2009.
What names are similar to Merlinda? ▼
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 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
- 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 Merlinda
Nearby Names Like Merlinda
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merlinda
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 Merlinda side by side: Merlinda vs Meredith Merlinda vs Mercedes Merlinda vs Merle
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, 1931–2009 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Merlinda: Baby Name Since 1931 - 530 Births, Peak 1964." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/merlinda. 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 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 June 2026.