Unisex name · since 1912

Merriel

Merriel has 91 recorded births since 1912 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1922 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

#28,204 of 72,339
all-time among girls
91
born since 1912
1940s
peak decade

Merriel sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 91 recorded since 1912.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merriel has been recorded 91 times among girls since 1912, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1940s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 1947.

  • #28,204 of 72,339 all-time among girls
  • 91 born since 1912
  • 1940s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merriel ranks #28,204 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 91 born since 1912, peaking in the 1940s.

#28,204 of 72,339
all-time among girls
91
born since 1912
1940s
peak decade
Below the archive median
All-time archive position

Merriel's 91 recorded births place it above 60.95% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.

National only
State-record footprint

No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.

Merriel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Merriel's SSA record in two at 1932 and the more recent half accounts for 51% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 49%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1912, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1922 peak of 9, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Merriel popularity over time - girls

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–1947

Last recorded 1947
Peak year (1922)
9
Annual births at peak, across 36 years of records
45678910 19121922192919311936194019451947 5

Merriel popularity over time - boys

13 total births recorded since 1925 (Merriel as boys' name)

Unisex variant - 13 births
456789 19251953 5

Merriel by decade

1940s is the heaviest window (30 births, 33% of the file).

1940s was Merriel's strongest decade.

30 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.

Merriel births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1940s at 30 births (33% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Merriel? ▼
Since 1912, Social Security records show 91 babies named Merriel. Across the full SSA archive it ranks #28,204 of 72,339 girls' names by total births. The most recent recorded year was 1947. Its busiest year on record was 1922, with 9 births.
Where does Merriel sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merriel ranks #28,204 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Merriel most popular? ▼
Merriel was most popular in the 1940s decade with 30 total births. The single peak year was 1922.
Is Merriel a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Merriel is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 91 births, and as a boy's name it has 13 births.
How long has the name Merriel been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Merriel since 1912 -- 36 years through the most recent 1947 data.
What names are similar to Merriel? ▼
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.

Keep exploring Merriel

Nearby Names Like Merriel

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merriel

Meredith Girl
#469 77,787 births
Mercedes Girl
#1436 46,206 births
Merle Girl
#14961 14,723 births
Mercy Girl
#864 10,632 births
Merry Girl
#10142 10,369 births

Compare Merriel side by side: Merriel vs Meredith Merriel vs Mercedes Merriel vs Merle

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Lidie
91 births · Peak 1888
Pelagia
91 births · Peak 1916
Lounette
91 births · Peak 1917
Yoshi
91 births · Peak 1919
Barney
91 births · Peak 1923
Fujie
91 births · Peak 1918
Zenora
91 births · Peak 1919
Silveria
91 births · Peak 1928

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Merriel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1912–1947 (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 Merriel 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.