Merril
Merril is a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include:Judith Merril (1923–1997), American and Canadian science fiction writer Merril Anthony (1909–1967), Guyanese cricketer Merril Bainbridge, Australian singer and songwriter Merril Hoge, American football player Merril Jessop (1935–2022), American bishop Merril Sandoval (1925–2008), U.S. Marine, Navajo code talker
Meaning & Origin of Merril
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Merril is a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include:Judith Merril (1923–1997), American and Canadian science fiction writer Merril Anthony (1909–1967), Guyanese cricketer Merril Bainbridge, Australian singer and songwriter Merril Hoge, American football player Merril Jessop (1935–2022), American bishop Merril Sandoval (1925–2008), U.S. Marine, Navajo code talker
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Merril
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Merril as a girl name dates back to 1914, when 6 babies received it. 1950 was its biggest year on record, with 12 newborns named Merril — #3,052 in the national rankings. About 43% of every Merril on record arrived during the 1940s, its defining decade. Merril last appeared in the published SSA data in 1967, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 134 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
Merril first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1910, with 8 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1920: 37 births, good for #1,180 nationwide. About 31% of every Merril on record arrived during the 1920s, its defining decade. Merril last appeared in the published SSA data in 2008, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 858 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Merril
Phonetically similar names — useful when Merril 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 Merril
What does the name Merril mean?
How popular is Merril in 2026?
When was Merril most popular?
In which U.S. states is Merril most popular?
Is Merril a unisex name?
What names go well with Merril?
About the name Merril
Merril is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1910 and has accumulated 858 births in the dataset. Merril's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #1,180. Use the chart and map above to compare Merril's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1920 →
- 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.