Total births
5,792
Unisex name · since 1905
Merrick
Since 1905, U.S. Social Security records show 5,792 babies named Merrick, peaking in 2018. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1212
- among boys today
- 5,792
- born since 1905
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
5,792 babies have been named Merrick since 1905, making it today's #1212 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merrick has been recorded 5,792 times among boys since 1905, currently ranked #1212 nationally and more common than 92% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1905 to 2025.
- #1212 among boys today
- 5,792 born since 1905
- 2010s peak decade
- 92% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Merrick is currently the #1212 unisex name in America, more common than 92% of boys - 5,792 born since 1905, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1212
- among boys today
- 5,792
- born since 1905
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Merrick vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1212
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 92% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Merrick was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
274 babies were named Merrick in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Merrick compares
5,792 Top 11% higher than 89% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Merrick's all-time total is 16x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Merrick | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,792 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 274 | 23 | 22,252 |
Merrick's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Merrick splits its recorded history at 1972: 88% of all births land in the more recent half, 12% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1905 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2018 peak of 274 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Merrick at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2018
Current rank
#1,212
Active since
1905
Merrick popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1905–2025
- Peak year (2018)
- 274
- Annual births at peak, across 121 years of records
Merrick popularity over time - girls
519 total births recorded since 1962 (Merrick as girls' name)
Merrick by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Merrick's strongest decade.
1,899 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Merrick births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s 46
1910s
46 births
- 1920s 69
1920s
69 births
- 1930s 52
1930s
52 births
- 1940s 120
1940s
120 births
- 1950s 163
1950s
163 births
- 1960s 172
1960s
172 births
- 1970s 241
1970s
241 births
- 1980s 205
1980s
205 births
- 1990s 463
1990s
463 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,175 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,899 births
- 2020s
2020s
1,182 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 1,899 births (33% of all-time use).
How Merrick 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 Merrick's total volume
Merrick vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Merrick by state
Where Merrick concentrates geographically, total births since 1905
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 608 | 10.5% |
| #2 | Texas | | 336 | 5.8% |
| #3 | Florida | | 277 | 4.8% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 140 | 2.4% |
| #5 | Washington | | 121 | 2.1% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 119 | 2.1% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 105 | 1.8% |
| #8 | New York | | 102 | 1.8% |
California share of Merrick's total US births 10.5%
Even split
608 of 5,792 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 32 reporting states.
Merrick appears in 32 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merrick? ▼
Since 1905, Social Security records show 5,792 babies named Merrick. Today it holds rank #1212 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2018, with 274 births.
When was Merrick most popular? ▼
Merrick was most popular in the 2010s decade with 1,899 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
Where is Merrick most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Merrick are California (608 births), Texas (336 births), Florida (277 births).
Is Merrick a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Merrick is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 5,792 births, and as a girl's name it has 519 births.
How long has the name Merrick been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Merrick since 1905 -- 121 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Merrick? ▼
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 Merrick's data
- Merrick's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (1,899 total births) through the 2020s (1,182) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Merricks (608 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Merrick
Nearby Names Like Merrick
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merrick
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 Merrick side by side: Merrick vs Merle Merrick vs Merlin Merrick vs Merrill
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Merrick
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, 1905–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Merrick: #1212 Unisex Name - 5,792 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/merrick. 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 Merrick 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.