Merrill
Merrill is given to both girls and boys: 8 girls and 14 boys were given it in 2025 (#11,576 among girls’ names and #6,329 among boys’, #9,835 among all names counting both); 15,065 Americans have been recorded with it since 1880 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026).
An estimated 5,230 Americans named Merrill and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (35% of everyone recorded); the median is 66 years old and half are between 48 and 77.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Merrill by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Merrill mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Merrill is “a male given name.”
Variant of Muriel.
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Merrill?
#6,329 among boys’ names, 2025
Merrill rose from #6,941 in 2015 to #6,329 in 2025 among boys’ names; its share of boys born rose from 6.3 to 8.2 per million.
321 babies in 1926, the peak
Merrill peaked in 1926, when 321 babies were given it (305 boys, #331 among boys’ names). The 22 births of 2025 (girls and boys) are 7% of that peak.
Births by sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | #11,576 | 14 | #6,329 |
| 2024 | 7 | #13,012 | 6 | #11,869 |
| 2023 | under 5 | 7 | #10,412 | |
| 2022 | 7 | #13,127 | 8 | #9,553 |
| 2021 | 10 | #10,066 | 6 | #11,671 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10,829 | 6 | #11,519 |
| 2019 | 12 | #8,933 | 10 | #8,004 |
| 2018 | 6 | #15,037 | 8 | #9,359 |
| 2017 | 7 | #13,638 | 6 | #11,705 |
| 2016 | 14 | #8,264 | 11 | #7,447 |
Every recorded year (146)
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 12 | #9,322 | 12 | #6,941 |
| 2014 | 7 | #14,081 | 7 | #10,355 |
| 2013 | 8 | #12,774 | 6 | #11,686 |
| 2012 | 11 | #10,191 | 8 | #9,416 |
| 2011 | 9 | #11,844 | 11 | #7,326 |
| 2010 | 10 | #10,971 | 12 | #6,947 |
| 2009 | 10 | #11,223 | 6 | #11,960 |
| 2008 | 12 | #9,888 | 11 | #7,541 |
| 2007 | 12 | #9,970 | 9 | #8,670 |
| 2006 | 14 | #8,562 | 8 | #9,281 |
| 2005 | 7 | #13,990 | 13 | #6,098 |
| 2004 | 11 | #9,680 | 11 | #6,822 |
| 2003 | 9 | #11,005 | 10 | #7,062 |
| 2002 | 10 | #9,997 | under 5 | |
| 2001 | 9 | #10,715 | 7 | #8,914 |
| 2000 | 10 | #9,644 | 9 | #7,202 |
| 1999 | 17 | #6,101 | 19 | #3,926 |
| 1998 | 10 | #9,042 | 9 | #6,654 |
| 1997 | 8 | #10,454 | 15 | #4,389 |
| 1996 | 10 | #8,602 | 14 | #4,532 |
| 1995 | 17 | #5,598 | 18 | #3,645 |
| 1994 | 16 | #5,888 | 16 | #4,026 |
| 1993 | 13 | #6,901 | 22 | #3,105 |
| 1992 | 19 | #5,190 | 19 | #3,411 |
| 1991 | 16 | #5,844 | 36 | #2,074 |
| 1990 | 20 | #4,804 | 24 | #2,744 |
| 1989 | 17 | #5,198 | 21 | #2,956 |
| 1988 | 11 | #6,949 | 17 | #3,159 |
| 1987 | 14 | #5,493 | 32 | #1,961 |
| 1986 | 22 | #3,837 | 23 | #2,400 |
| 1985 | 18 | #4,383 | 27 | #2,105 |
| 1984 | 13 | #5,421 | 32 | #1,786 |
| 1983 | 13 | #5,337 | 41 | #1,504 |
| 1982 | 14 | #5,107 | 32 | #1,802 |
| 1981 | 21 | #3,813 | 43 | #1,470 |
| 1980 | 24 | #3,467 | 50 | #1,336 |
| 1979 | 6 | #9,733 | 50 | #1,311 |
| 1978 | 12 | #5,424 | 51 | #1,268 |
| 1977 | 11 | #5,751 | 47 | #1,331 |
| 1976 | 10 | #5,870 | 52 | #1,203 |
| 1975 | 10 | #5,818 | 42 | #1,354 |
| 1974 | 12 | #4,913 | 45 | #1,262 |
| 1973 | 14 | #4,280 | 39 | #1,341 |
| 1972 | 17 | #3,661 | 41 | #1,321 |
| 1971 | 16 | #3,884 | 52 | #1,142 |
| 1970 | 19 | #3,387 | 49 | #1,190 |
| 1969 | 21 | #2,978 | 57 | #1,023 |
| 1968 | 32 | #2,150 | 64 | #906 |
| 1967 | 12 | #3,983 | 62 | #922 |
| 1966 | 29 | #2,229 | 55 | #989 |
| 1965 | 19 | #2,892 | 69 | #889 |
| 1964 | 23 | #2,641 | 72 | #898 |
| 1963 | 27 | #2,340 | 94 | #788 |
| 1962 | 22 | #2,642 | 88 | #813 |
| 1961 | 36 | #1,941 | 102 | #765 |
| 1960 | 32 | #2,041 | 111 | #731 |
| 1959 | 30 | #2,092 | 102 | #754 |
| 1958 | 37 | #1,809 | 114 | #700 |
| 1957 | 28 | #2,099 | 149 | #629 |
| 1956 | 31 | #1,956 | 153 | #613 |
| 1955 | 46 | #1,506 | 148 | #611 |
| 1954 | 50 | #1,431 | 155 | #593 |
| 1953 | 51 | #1,367 | 149 | #590 |
| 1952 | 49 | #1,394 | 163 | #545 |
| 1951 | 45 | #1,405 | 149 | #562 |
| 1950 | 52 | #1,279 | 164 | #525 |
| 1949 | 52 | #1,273 | 151 | #541 |
| 1948 | 38 | #1,511 | 163 | #519 |
| 1947 | 44 | #1,407 | 194 | #481 |
| 1946 | 39 | #1,407 | 191 | #461 |
| 1945 | 33 | #1,409 | 171 | #454 |
| 1944 | 14 | #2,477 | 174 | #462 |
| 1943 | 25 | #1,741 | 242 | #392 |
| 1942 | 42 | #1,240 | 230 | #399 |
| 1941 | 20 | #1,859 | 210 | #401 |
| 1940 | 19 | #1,877 | 215 | #388 |
| 1939 | 12 | #2,529 | 235 | #372 |
| 1938 | 20 | #1,788 | 215 | #384 |
| 1937 | 20 | #1,768 | 221 | #366 |
| 1936 | 15 | #2,117 | 233 | #353 |
| 1935 | 22 | #1,642 | 188 | #398 |
| 1934 | 12 | #2,524 | 239 | #356 |
| 1933 | 14 | #2,242 | 207 | #377 |
| 1932 | 14 | #2,324 | 243 | #355 |
| 1931 | 12 | #2,526 | 257 | #341 |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,556 | 260 | #352 |
| 1929 | 16 | #2,156 | 269 | #342 |
| 1928 | 17 | #2,159 | 278 | #342 |
| 1927 | 9 | #3,478 | 284 | #343 |
| 1926 | 16 | #2,320 | 305 | #331 |
| 1925 | 18 | #2,165 | 292 | #340 |
| 1924 | 13 | #2,767 | 266 | #369 |
| 1923 | 14 | #2,554 | 278 | #354 |
| 1922 | 6 | #4,840 | 276 | #357 |
| 1921 | 13 | #2,733 | 283 | #359 |
| 1920 | 17 | #2,233 | 289 | #345 |
| 1919 | 8 | #3,695 | 279 | #339 |
| 1918 | 17 | #2,170 | 296 | #333 |
| 1917 | 14 | #2,394 | 257 | #347 |
| 1916 | 16 | #2,096 | 270 | #321 |
| 1915 | 11 | #2,647 | 261 | #326 |
| 1914 | 10 | #2,378 | 166 | #367 |
| 1913 | 6 | #3,071 | 136 | #358 |
| 1912 | 12 | #1,691 | 119 | #347 |
| 1911 | under 5 | 57 | #369 | |
| 1910 | under 5 | 39 | #443 | |
| 1909 | 6 | #2,153 | 42 | #368 |
| 1908 | under 5 | 34 | #411 | |
| 1907 | under 5 | 33 | #393 | |
| 1906 | 5 | #2,133 | 33 | #372 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,137 | 35 | #352 |
| 1904 | under 5 | 34 | #346 | |
| 1903 | under 5 | 31 | #349 | |
| 1902 | under 5 | 26 | #402 | |
| 1901 | under 5 | 26 | #368 | |
| 1900 | under 5 | 23 | #485 | |
| 1899 | under 5 | 27 | #350 | |
| 1898 | under 5 | 27 | #383 | |
| 1897 | under 5 | 21 | #420 | |
| 1896 | under 5 | 23 | #414 | |
| 1895 | under 5 | 25 | #387 | |
| 1894 | under 5 | 16 | #512 | |
| 1893 | under 5 | 26 | #355 | |
| 1892 | under 5 | 11 | #668 | |
| 1891 | under 5 | 11 | #579 | |
| 1890 | under 5 | 14 | #525 | |
| 1889 | under 5 | 9 | #706 | |
| 1888 | under 5 | 14 | #543 | |
| 1887 | under 5 | 12 | #534 | |
| 1886 | under 5 | 5 | #1,059 | |
| 1885 | under 5 | 10 | #626 | |
| 1884 | under 5 | 11 | #593 | |
| 1883 | under 5 | 20 | #391 | |
| 1882 | under 5 | 10 | #630 | |
| 1881 | under 5 | 7 | #754 | |
| 1880 | under 5 | 13 | #515 |
Ranks: girls’ names and boys’ names ranked separately in each year’s SSA file; “under 5” is a year SSA did not list the name for that sex.
Is Merrill a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Of the 15,065 Americans recorded as Merrill, 14% are girls and 86% boys.
Years with fewer than 20 babies given the name are left blank.
Girls and boys named Merrill: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Merrill, and how old are they?
5,230 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 35% of the 15,065 Americans ever recorded as Merrill. The median Merrill alive today is 66 years old; half are between 48 and 77.
The 2020 Census counted 6,383 people named Merrill (1,572 women and girls, 4,811 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 6,245 born in the U.S. The Census count is 2% above that prediction.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 854 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 2,220 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 969 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 642 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 322 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 213 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named Merrill born?
The states with the most babies named Merrill are Pennsylvania, New York and Indiana, with 30% of its births recorded by state since 1910; Indiana is not among the ten states with the most births.
| State | Since 1910 | Rank, boys | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 884 | not ranked | 0.8× |
| New York | 864 | not ranked | 0.7× |
| Indiana | 669 | not ranked | 1.8× |
| Iowa | 649 | not ranked | 2.4× |
| Ohio | 611 | not ranked | 0.8× |
| Illinois | 566 | not ranked | 0.7× |
| Utah | 552 | not ranked | 5.7× |
| California | 493 | not ranked | 0.6× |
| Minnesota | 387 | not ranked | 1.2× |
| Michigan | 363 | not ranked | 0.6× |
Where Merrill is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Merrill is most over-represented in Utah: since 1910 it was given 5.7 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among boys’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of Merrill with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 5 names spelled alike, given to 17,795 babies since 1880, Merrill is the most given (85% of them). In 2025 it was given to 22 of their 22 babies (100%), again the most given.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
Names that rose and fell in the same decades as Merrill
Names whose births rose and fell across the same decades, measured on each decade’s share of births.
Similar histories: each decade’s share of births, from the SSA national file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
More about Merrill and names like it
- Compare Merrill and MerrellBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 1920sMerrill peaked in 1926.
- Pennsylvania’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Merrill since 1910.
- The top names of 1926The year the most babies were named Merrill.
- The names of the Baby BoomersMost people named Merrill alive today were born 1946-1964.
- Names starting with MMost given first.