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2025 data, released 8 May 2026

2025 data, released 8 May 2026

Merl

Merl was not among the names given to 5 or more boys in 2025. Its best year was 1907, when it ranked 609th; the most babies were born in 1922 (83). More babies were named Merl in the 1920s than in any other decade.

Meaning Not yet researched how we research meanings

Rank in 2025
Not rankedboys
Babies in 2025
0boys
Girls and boys
No babies recorded in the last five years2021–2025
Peak year
192283 babies
Total since 1880
2,852babies recorded

Merl popularity since 1880

0255075100 1900192019401960198020002020
Boys Babies per year, US, from Social Security records. Years with fewer than 5 babies show as zero.

A few girls are given the name too: 278 since 1895.

YearRank (boys)Babies (boys)
2025——
2020——
2010——
2000——
1990——
1980——
1970#3,7258
1960#2,27814
1950#1,24834
1940#1,17433
1930#1,04444
1920#77374
1910#97112
1900——
1890——
1880——

How popular is Merl, counting every spelling?

Merl has no other common spelling that sounds the same.

How old are people named Merl?

About 600 people born in the US named Merl are alive today, with a median age of 72; half are between 63 and 79. That makes Merl a name most people associate with older generations.

0–910–1920–2930–3940–4950–5960–6970–7980–8990+
Estimated people alive in the US with the name, by age, mid-2026. The darker bar holds the median age.

Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.

Merl by state

How common Merl was among boys born in each state in 1920–1924, around its peak. It is notably more common than nationally in Iowa (3.7×), Ohio (1.5×). In 38 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.

Alaska: fewer than 5 a yearAK–Maine: fewer than 5 a yearME–Wisconsin: 0.04 per 1,000 babiesWI0.04Vermont: fewer than 5 a yearVT–New Hampshire: fewer than 5 a yearNH–Washington: fewer than 5 a yearWA–Idaho: fewer than 5 a yearID–Montana: fewer than 5 a yearMT–North Dakota: fewer than 5 a yearND–Minnesota: fewer than 5 a yearMN–Illinois: 0.07 per 1,000 babiesIL0.07Michigan: 0.03 per 1,000 babiesMI0.03New York: fewer than 5 a yearNY–Massachusetts: fewer than 5 a yearMA–Oregon: fewer than 5 a yearOR–Nevada: fewer than 5 a yearNV–Wyoming: fewer than 5 a yearWY–South Dakota: 0.19 per 1,000 babiesSD0.19Iowa: 0.25 per 1,000 babiesIA0.25Indiana: 0.13 per 1,000 babiesIN0.13Ohio: 0.10 per 1,000 babiesOH0.10Pennsylvania: 0.07 per 1,000 babiesPA0.07New Jersey: fewer than 5 a yearNJ–Connecticut: fewer than 5 a yearCT–Rhode Island: fewer than 5 a yearRI–California: fewer than 5 a yearCA–Utah: fewer than 5 a yearUT–Colorado: 0.14 per 1,000 babiesCO0.14Nebraska: 0.08 per 1,000 babiesNE0.08Missouri: fewer than 5 a yearMO–Kentucky: fewer than 5 a yearKY–West Virginia: fewer than 5 a yearWV–Virginia: fewer than 5 a yearVA–Maryland: fewer than 5 a yearMD–Delaware: fewer than 5 a yearDE–Arizona: fewer than 5 a yearAZ–New Mexico: fewer than 5 a yearNM–Kansas: 0.09 per 1,000 babiesKS0.09Arkansas: 0.06 per 1,000 babiesAR0.06Tennessee: fewer than 5 a yearTN–North Carolina: fewer than 5 a yearNC–South Carolina: fewer than 5 a yearSC–District of Columbia: fewer than 5 a yearDC–Oklahoma: 0.10 per 1,000 babiesOK0.10Louisiana: fewer than 5 a yearLA–Mississippi: fewer than 5 a yearMS–Alabama: fewer than 5 a yearAL–Georgia: fewer than 5 a yearGA–Hawaii: fewer than 5 a yearHI–Texas: fewer than 5 a yearTX–Florida: fewer than 5 a yearFL–
Babies per 1,000 of the same sex, Merl, boys, 1920–1924. Darker means more common.

Names with a similar history

These names rose and fell in step with Merl: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Merl, they share its era and feel.

Questions about the name Merl

How popular is the name Merl?

Merl was not among the names given to 5 or more boys in 2025. Its best year was 1907, when it ranked 609th; the most babies were born in 1922 (83). More babies were named Merl in the 1920s than in any other decade.

Is Merl a boy or girl name?

No babies were given the name in 2021–2025. Historically it was given to 278 girls and 2,574 boys.

Where was Merl most popular?

In 1920–1924, Merl was most common in Iowa (0.25 per 1,000 boys), followed by South Dakota and Colorado.