Girls' name · since 1910
Merline
Since 1910, U.S. Social Security records show 1,079 babies named Merline, peaking in 1924. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #7,127 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,079
- born since 1910
- 1930s
- peak decade
1,079 girls have been named Merline since 1910, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Merline has 1,079 recorded births among girls since 1910, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1930s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1910 to 2007.
- #7,127 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 1,079 born since 1910
- 1930s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merline ranks #7,127 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,079 born since 1910, peaking in the 1930s.
- #7,127 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,079
- born since 1910
- 1930s
- peak decade
Merline's 1,079 recorded births place it above 90.14% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
7 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Louisiana.
Merline's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Merline's SSA record in two at 1948 and the more recent half accounts for 29% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 71%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1962, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1924 peak of 37, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Merline popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1910–2007
- Peak year (1924)
- 37
- Annual births at peak, across 98 years of records
Merline by decade
1930s is the heaviest window (273 births, 25% of the file).
1930s was Merline's strongest decade.
273 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Merline births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 65
1910s
65 births
- 1920s
1920s
250 births
- 1930s
1930s
273 births
- 1940s
1940s
213 births
- 1950s
1950s
111 births
- 1960s 49
1960s
49 births
- 1970s 7
1970s
7 births
- 1980s 55
1980s
55 births
- 1990s 25
1990s
25 births
- 2000s 31
2000s
31 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 273 births (25% of all-time use).
How Merline 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 Merline's total volume
Merline by state
Where Merline concentrates geographically, total births since 1910
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Louisiana | | 119 | 11.0% |
| #2 | Texas | | 82 | 7.6% |
| #3 | Florida | | 38 | 3.5% |
| #4 | Mississippi | | 11 | 1.0% |
| #5 | Arkansas | | 6 | 0.6% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 6 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Oklahoma | | 5 | 0.5% |
119 of 1,079 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merline? ▼
Where does Merline sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Merline most popular? ▼
Where is Merline most popular? ▼
How long has the name Merline been used? ▼
What names are similar to Merline? ▼
What to do with Merline's data
- Merline's decade-level peak was the 1930s (273 total births); usage has since declined to 31 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Louisiana records the most Merlines (119 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Louisiana names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Merline
Nearby Names Like Merline
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merline
Compare Merline side by side: Merline vs Meredith Merline vs Mercedes Merline 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 Merline: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1924)
Similar record span (~97 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, 1910–2007 (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 Merline 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.