Total births
183
Unisex name · since 1912
Merrit
Merrit has 183 recorded births since 1912 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1930 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 183
- total births
- 1912–2021
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 18%
- born in that decade
Merrit sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 183 recorded since 1912.
Merrit has 183 recorded births among boys since 1912, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 2021.
- 183 total births
- 1912–2021 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 18% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
183 boys have been named Merrit since 1912, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2021.
- 183
- total births
- 1912–2021
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 18%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Merrit was born in this single decade.
1930
Single peak year
9 babies were named Merrit in 1930 - its busiest year on record.
Merrit's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Merrit splits its recorded history at 1955: 48% of all births land in the more recent half, 52% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1912 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1930 peak of 9 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Merrit at a glance
Last recorded 2021Peak year
1930
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1912
Merrit popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2021
- Peak year (1930)
- 9
- Annual births at peak, across 110 years of records
Merrit popularity over time - girls
112 total births recorded since 1961 (Merrit as girls' name)
Merrit by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Merrit's strongest decade.
33 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Merrit births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
25 births
- 1920s
1920s
33 births
- 1930s
1930s
24 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s
1950s
21 births
- 1960s 13
1960s
13 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1990s 7
1990s
7 births
- 2000s 11
2000s
11 births
- 2010s
2010s
28 births
- 2020s 11
2020s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 33 births (18% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Merrit? ▼
Since 1912, Social Security records show 183 babies named Merrit. The most recent recorded year was 2021. Its busiest year on record was 1930, with 9 births.
When was Merrit most popular? ▼
Merrit was most popular in the 1920s decade with 33 total births. The single peak year was 1930.
Is Merrit a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Merrit is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 183 births, and as a girl's name it has 112 births.
How long has the name Merrit been used? ▼
Records for Merrit go back to 1912, giving 110 years of history through 2021.
What names are similar to Merrit? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Merle, Merlin, Merrill, Mervin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Merrit's data
- Merrit's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (33 total births) through the 2020s (11) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- 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 Merrit
Nearby Names Like Merrit
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merrit
Merle Boy
#4573 30,666 births
Merlin Boy
#2063 15,049 births
Merrill Boy
#10939 12,988 births
Mervin Boy
#2394 12,322 births
Merritt Boy
#1891 6,151 births
Compare Merrit side by side: Merrit vs Merle Merrit vs Merlin Merrit vs Merrill
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, 1912–2021 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Merrit: Baby Name Since 1912 - 183 Births, Peak 1930." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/merrit. 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 Merrit 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.