Merced
Merced is a city in and the county seat of Merced County, California, United States, in the San Joaquin Valley. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 86,333, up from 78,958 in 2010. Incorporated on April 1, 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council–manager government. It is named after the Merced River, which flows nearby.
Meaning & Origin of Merced
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Merced is a city in and the county seat of Merced County, California, United States, in the San Joaquin Valley. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 86,333, up from 78,958 in 2010. Incorporated on April 1, 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council–manager government. It is named after the Merced River, which flows nearby.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Merced
As a girl name
Merced first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1914, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1924, when 12 Merceds were born — ranking #2,809 that year. As of 2026, Merced ranks #16,991 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 181 Merceds have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Merced first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1905, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1942, when 19 Merceds were born — ranking #1,629 that year. As of 2026, Merced ranks #9,707 for boys with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 764 Merceds have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Merced
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Lloyd Allen , MLB pitcher
- Ray Allen , NBA player
- Jeff Ball , MLB player
- Summer Bartholomew , Miss California USA 1975, Miss USA 1975
- Michael Basinger , NFL player for the Green Bay Packers
- Bruce Bowen , NBA player for the San Antonio Spurs
- Jim Brewer , MLB pitcher
- Tom Cable , NFL player and coach, former head coach of Oakland Raiders
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Merced
Phonetically similar names — useful when Merced is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Merced
What does the name Merced mean?
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In which U.S. states is Merced most popular?
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About the name Merced
Merced is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1905 and has accumulated 764 births in the dataset. Merced's peak popularity came in 1942 when it ranked #1,629. Use the chart and map above to compare Merced's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1942 →
- Names of the 1940s →
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- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.