Girls' name · since 1923
Merrilyn
751 babies named Merrilyn in U.S. Social Security records since 1923, with the highest year being 1944. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #9,116 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 751
- born since 1923
- 1940s
- peak decade
Merrilyn is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 751 have been recorded since 1923.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merrilyn has been recorded 751 times among girls since 1923, 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 1923 to 1973.
- #9,116 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 751 born since 1923
- 1940s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merrilyn ranks #9,116 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 751 born since 1923, peaking in the 1940s.
- #9,116 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 751
- born since 1923
- 1940s
- peak decade
Merrilyn's 751 recorded births place it above 87.38% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by California.
Merrilyn's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Merrilyn's full recorded timeline at 1946, 45% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 55% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1967, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1944 peak of 40 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Merrilyn popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1923–1973
- Peak year (1944)
- 40
- Annual births at peak, across 51 years of records
Merrilyn by decade
1940s is the heaviest window (291 births, 39% of the file).
1940s was Merrilyn's strongest decade.
291 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Merrilyn births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 92
1920s
92 births
- 1930s
1930s
146 births
- 1940s
1940s
291 births
- 1950s
1950s
138 births
- 1960s 57
1960s
57 births
- 1970s 27
1970s
27 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 291 births (39% of all-time use).
How Merrilyn compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Merrilyn's total volume
Merrilyn by state
Where Merrilyn concentrates geographically, total births since 1923
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 11 | 1.5% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.7% |
11 of 751 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merrilyn? ▼
Where does Merrilyn sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Merrilyn most popular? ▼
Where is Merrilyn most popular? ▼
How long has the name Merrilyn been used? ▼
What names are similar to Merrilyn? ▼
What to do with Merrilyn's data
- Merrilyn's decade-level peak was the 1940s (291 total births); usage has since declined to 27 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Merrilyns (11 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Merrilyn
Nearby Names Like Merrilyn
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merrilyn
Compare Merrilyn side by side: Merrilyn vs Meredith Merrilyn vs Mercedes Merrilyn vs Merle
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Merrilyn: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1944)
Similar record span (~50 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, 1923–1973 (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 Merrilyn 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.