Boys' name · since 1961
Merv
20 babies named Merv in U.S. Social Security records since 1961, with the highest year being 1961. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #29,124 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 20
- born since 1961
- 1960s
- peak decade
20 boys have been named Merv since 1961, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Merv recorded 20 times among boys since 1961, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1961 to 1962.
- #29,124 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 20 born since 1961
- 1960s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Merv ranks #29,124 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 20 born since 1961, peaking in the 1960s.
- #29,124 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 20
- born since 1961
- 1960s
- peak decade
Merv's 20 recorded births place it above 35.65% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Merv's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Merv's full recorded timeline at 1962, 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 1962, with just 9 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1961 peak of 11 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Merv popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1961–1962
- Peak year (1961)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 2 years of records
Merv by decade
1960s is the heaviest window (20 births, 100% of the file).
1960s was Merv's strongest decade.
20 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 100% of all-time use.
Merv births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window.
- 1960s
1960s
20 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 20 births (100% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
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Keep exploring Merv
Nearby Names Like Merv
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Merv
Compare Merv side by side: Merv vs Merle Merv vs Merlin Merv vs Merrill
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Merv: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1961)
Similar record span (~1 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, 1961–1962 (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 Merv 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.