Merit
Merit is a name with multiple cultural origins: English, Estonian, Swedish.
- English
- Estonian
- Swedish
Meaning & Origin of Merit
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Merit is a name with multiple cultural origins: English, Estonian, Swedish.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- Estonian
- Swedish
The Story of Merit
As a girl name
American parents first put Merit on the record books as a girl name in 1965, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 26 Merits were born — ranking #4,997 that year. About 39% of every Merit on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Merit ranks #5,997 for girls with 20 births, rising sharply (+52% over the past five years). All told, over 304 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
Merit first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1918, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2014: 16 births, good for #5,482 nationwide. About 44% of every Merit on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Merit ranks #6,429 for boys with 13 births, holding steady (+2%). All told, over 232 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Merit
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Merit. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Merit
Phonetically similar names — useful when Merit 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 Merit
What does the name Merit mean?
What is the origin of the name Merit?
How popular is Merit in 2026?
When was Merit most popular?
In which U.S. states is Merit most popular?
Is Merit a unisex name?
What names go well with Merit?
What are nicknames or variants of Merit?
About the name Merit
Merit is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1965 and has accumulated 304 births in the dataset. Merit's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #4,997. Use the chart and map above to compare Merit's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2023 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- 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.