Girls' name · since 1943
Merrilynn
Merrilynn has 29 recorded births since 1943 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1965 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #41,414 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 29
- born since 1943
- 1940s
- peak decade
Merrilynn sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 29 recorded since 1943.
Merrilynn has 29 recorded births among girls since 1943, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1940s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1943 to 1965.
- #41,414 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 29 born since 1943
- 1940s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merrilynn ranks #41,414 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 29 born since 1943, peaking in the 1940s.
- #41,414 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 29
- born since 1943
- 1940s
- peak decade
Merrilynn's 29 recorded births place it above 42.52% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Merrilynn's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Merrilynn's SSA record in two at 1947 and the more recent half accounts for 66% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 34%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1943, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1965 peak of 7, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Merrilynn popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1943–1965
- Peak year (1965)
- 7
- Annual births at peak, across 23 years of records
Merrilynn by decade
1940s is the heaviest window (22 births, 76% of the file).
1940s was Merrilynn's strongest decade.
22 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 76% of all-time use.
Merrilynn births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s
1940s
22 births
- 1960s 7
1960s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 22 births (76% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merrilynn? ▼
Where does Merrilynn sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Merrilynn most popular? ▼
How long has the name Merrilynn been used? ▼
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What to do with Merrilynn's data
- Merrilynn's decade-level peak was the 1940s (22 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 1960s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Merrilynn
Nearby Names Like Merrilynn
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merrilynn
Compare Merrilynn side by side: Merrilynn vs Meredith Merrilynn vs Mercedes Merrilynn 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 Merrilynn: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1965)
Similar record span (~22 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, 1943–1965 (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 Merrilynn 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.