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.
- #4,669 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,164
- born since 1911
- 1920s
- peak 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.
- #4,669 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,164 born since 1911
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merrell ranks #4,669 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,164 born since 1911, peaking in the 1920s.
- #4,669 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,164
- born since 1911
- 1920s
- peak decade
Merrell's 1,164 recorded births place it above 89.73% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Georgia.
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 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
1920s is the heaviest window (220 births, 19% of the file).
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 by state
Where Merrell concentrates geographically, total births since 1911
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgia | | 5 | 0.4% |
5 of 1,164 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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
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
Compare Merrell side by side: Merrell vs Merle Merrell vs Merlin Merrell vs Merrill
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Merrell: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1915)
Similar record span (~104 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, 1911–2015 (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 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 August 2026.