Total births
1,164
Unisex name · since 1911
Merrell
Merrell has 1,164 recorded births since 1911 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1915 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 1,164
- total births
- 1911–2015
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 19%
- born in that decade
Merrell sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 1,164 recorded since 1911.
Merrell has 1,164 recorded births among boys since 1911, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1911 to 2015.
- 1,164 total births
- 1911–2015 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 19% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
1,164 boys have been named Merrell since 1911, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2015.
- 1,164
- total births
- 1911–2015
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 19%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Merrell was born in this single decade.
1915
Single peak year
27 babies were named Merrell in 1915 - its busiest year on record.
Merrell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Merrell's full recorded timeline at 1952, 35% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 65% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1911, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1915 peak of 27 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Merrell at a glance
Last recorded 2015Peak year
1915
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1911
Merrell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1911–2015
- Peak year (1915)
- 27
- Annual births at peak, across 105 years of records
Merrell popularity over time - girls
155 total births recorded since 1917 (Merrell as girls' name)
Merrell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Merrell's strongest decade.
220 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Merrell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
134 births
- 1920s
1920s
220 births
- 1930s
1930s
162 births
- 1940s
1940s
196 births
- 1950s
1950s
150 births
- 1960s 81
1960s
81 births
- 1970s
1970s
94 births
- 1980s 51
1980s
51 births
- 1990s 42
1990s
42 births
- 2000s 15
2000s
15 births
- 2010s 19
2010s
19 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 220 births (19% of all-time use).
How Merrell compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Merrell's total volume
Merrell vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Merrell by state
Where Merrell concentrates geographically, total births since 1911
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgia | | 5 | 0.4% |
Georgia share of Merrell's total US births 0.4%
5 of 1,164 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merrell? ▼
Merrell has been given to 1,164 babies in the U.S. since 1911, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2015. 27 babies were born in 1915, its single highest year.
When was Merrell most popular? ▼
Merrell was most popular in the 1920s decade with 220 total births. The single peak year was 1915.
Where is Merrell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Merrell are Georgia (5 births).
Is Merrell a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Merrell is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 1,164 births, and as a girl's name it has 155 births.
How long has the name Merrell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Merrell since 1911 -- 105 years through the most recent 2015 data.
What names are similar to Merrell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Merle, Merlin, Merrill, Mervin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Merrell's data
- Merrell's decade-level peak was the 1920s (220 total births); usage has since declined to 19 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Georgia records the most Merrells (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Georgia 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 Merrell
Nearby Names Like Merrell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merrell
Merle Boy
#4573 30,666 births
Merlin Boy
#2063 15,049 births
Merrill Boy
#10939 12,988 births
Mervin Boy
#2394 12,322 births
Merritt Boy
#1891 6,151 births
Compare Merrell side by side: Merrell vs Merle Merrell vs Merlin Merrell vs Merrill
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1911–2015 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Merrell: Baby Name Since 1911 - 1,164 Births, Peak 1915." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/merrell. 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 Merrell 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 July 2026.