Merle
Merle is a given name used by both men and women, from the English word merle or the French surname Merle, which both meaning blackbird. Related names are Merrill or Muriel.
Meaning & Origin of Merle
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Merle is a given name used by both men and women, from the English word merle or the French surname Merle, which both meaning blackbird. Related names are Merrill or Muriel.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Merle
As a girl name
Merle first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1880, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1921, when 442 Merles were born — ranking #311 that year. As of 2026, Merle ranks #16,098 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 15K Merles have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Merle first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 17 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1925, when 836 Merles were born — ranking #175 that year. As of 2026, Merle ranks #4,147 for boys with 26 births, rising sharply (+18% over the past five years). In total, more than 31K Merles 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 Merle
Phonetically similar names — useful when Merle 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 Merle
What does the name Merle mean?
How popular is Merle in 2026?
When was Merle most popular?
In which U.S. states is Merle most popular?
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About the name Merle
Merle is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 31K births in the dataset. Merle's peak popularity came in 1925 when it ranked #170. Use the chart and map above to compare Merle's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1925 →
- 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.