Merl
Merl is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include:
Meaning & Origin of Merl
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Merl is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Merl
As a girl name
American parents first put Merl on the record books as a girl name in 1895, with 8 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 15 Merls were born — ranking #2,357 that year. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 35% of all recorded Merls. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1966 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 278 Merls have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Merl as a boy name dates back to 1886, when 7 babies received it. 1922 was its biggest year on record, with 83 newborns named Merl — #717 in the national rankings. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Merls. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1986 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 3K Merls have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Merl
Phonetically similar names — useful when Merl 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 Merl
What does the name Merl mean?
How popular is Merl in 2026?
When was Merl most popular?
In which U.S. states is Merl most popular?
Is Merl a unisex name?
What names go well with Merl?
About the name Merl
Merl is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1886 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Merl's peak popularity came in 1922 when it ranked #717. Use the chart and map above to compare Merl's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1922 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all boy 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.