Girl · #11,069 in 2026

Merly

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

Current Rank

#11,069

Peak Rank

#8,207 (2012)

Total Babies

242

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1986

First Year

2024

Last Year

2012

Peak Year

#8207

Peak Rank

242

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Merly

Merly first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1986, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2012, when 14 Merlys were born — ranking #8,207 that year. As of 2026, Merly ranks #11,069 for baby girls with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 242 Merlys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Merly

Phonetically similar names — useful when Merly 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 Merly

What does the name Merly mean?

Merly is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1986. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Merly in 2026?

In 2026, Merly ranks #11,069 among girls' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.

When was Merly most popular?

Merly reached its peak popularity in 2012, ranking #8,207 that year with 14 babies given the name.

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

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

Is Merly a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Merly?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Merly include Haeven, Makaleigh, Ady. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Merly

Merly is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1986 and has accumulated 242 births in the dataset. Merly's peak popularity came in 2012 when it ranked #8,207. Use the chart and map above to compare Merly'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.