Meridel
Meridel Le Sueur was an American writer associated with the proletarian literature movement of the 1930s and 1940s. Born as Meridel Wharton, she assumed the name of her mother's second husband, Arthur Le Sueur, the former Socialist mayor of Minot, North Dakota. Her writings—including journalistic pieces, short stories, and poetry—often dealt with the everyday lives of working-class women.
Meaning & Origin of Meridel
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Meridel Le Sueur was an American writer associated with the proletarian literature movement of the 1930s and 1940s. Born as Meridel Wharton, she assumed the name of her mother's second husband, Arthur Le Sueur, the former Socialist mayor of Minot, North Dakota. Her writings—including journalistic pieces, short stories, and poetry—often dealt with the everyday lives of working-class women.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Meridel
Meridel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1936, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1942, when 17 Meridels were born — ranking #2,117 that year. As of 2026, Meridel ranks #4,345 for baby girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 38 Meridels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Meridel
Phonetically similar names — useful when Meridel is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Middle
- Middel
- Midl
- Medal
- Muddle
- Meddle
- Medel
- Medle
- Medill
- Model
- Myrtle
- Modal
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Meridel
What does the name Meridel mean?
How popular is Meridel in 2026?
When was Meridel most popular?
Is Meridel a unisex name?
What names go well with Meridel?
About the name Meridel
Meridel is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1936 and has accumulated 38 births in the dataset. Meridel's peak popularity came in 1942 when it ranked #2,117. Use the chart and map above to compare Meridel'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 →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.