Total births
751
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.
- 751
- total births
- 1923–1973
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that 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.
- 751 total births
- 1923–1973 years on record
- 1940s peak decade
- 39% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
751 girls have been named Merrilyn since 1923, peaking in the 1940s, last recorded in 1973.
- 751
- total births
- 1923–1973
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
1940s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Merrilyn was born in this single decade.
1944
Single peak year
40 babies were named Merrilyn in 1944 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 1973Peak year
1944
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1923
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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 vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
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% |
California share of Merrilyn's total US births 1.5%
Even split
11 of 751 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merrilyn? ▼
Merrilyn has been given to 751 babies in the U.S. since 1923, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1973. 40 babies were born in 1944, its single highest year.
When was Merrilyn most popular? ▼
Merrilyn was most popular in the 1940s decade with 291 total births. The single peak year was 1944.
Where is Merrilyn most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Merrilyn are California (11 births), Illinois (5 births).
How long has the name Merrilyn been used? ▼
Merrilyn has been recorded in Social Security data since 1923, spanning 51 years of data through 1973.
What names are similar to Merrilyn? ▼
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.
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
- 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 Merrilyn
Nearby Names Like Merrilyn
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merrilyn
Meredith Girl
#492 77,787 births
Mercedes Girl
#1446 46,206 births
Merle Girl
14,723 births
Mercy Girl
#845 10,632 births
Merry Girl
#6942 10,369 births
Compare Merrilyn side by side: Merrilyn vs Meredith Merrilyn vs Mercedes Merrilyn vs Merle
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1923–1973 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Merrilyn: Baby Name Since 1923 - 751 Births, Peak 1944." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/merrilyn. 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 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 June 2026.