Girl · #5,243 in 2026

Merlie

Name: Popularity of the name Merlie in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Merlie, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#5,243

Peak Rank

#2,378 (1921)

Total Babies

261

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1897

First Year

1948

Last Year

1921

Peak Year

#2378

Peak Rank

261

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Merlie

Merlie first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1897, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1921, when 15 Merlies were born — ranking #2,378 that year. As of 2026, Merlie ranks #5,243 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 261 Merlies have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Merlie

Phonetically similar names — useful when Merlie 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 Merlie

What does the name Merlie mean?

Merlie is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1897. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Merlie in 2026?

In 2026, Merlie ranks #5,243 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Merlie most popular?

Merlie reached its peak popularity in 1921, ranking #2,378 that year with 15 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Merlie most popular?

Merlie has historically been most popular in West Virginia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Merlie.

Is Merlie a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Merlie is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Merlie?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Merlie include Robina, Loie, Rada. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Merlie

Merlie is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1897 and has accumulated 261 births in the dataset. Merlie's peak popularity came in 1921 when it ranked #2,378. Use the chart and map above to compare Merlie's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.