Merritt
Merritt is a masculine and feminine given name. It is of British origin and is traditionally a male name. Notable people with the name include:Merritt Brunies (1895–1973), American jazz trombonist and cornetist Merritt Bucholz, American architect Merritt Butrick (1959–1989), American actor Merritt L.
Meaning & Origin of Merritt
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Merritt is a masculine and feminine given name. It is of British origin and is traditionally a male name. Notable people with the name include:Merritt Brunies (1895–1973), American jazz trombonist and cornetist Merritt Bucholz, American architect Merritt Butrick (1959–1989), American actor Merritt L.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Merritt
As a girl name
Merritt first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1919, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 175 Merritts were born — ranking #1,331 that year. As of 2026, Merritt ranks #1,422 for girls with 156 births, holding steady (+2%). In total, more than 3K Merritts have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Merritt first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 18 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1924, when 121 Merritts were born — ranking #579 that year. As of 2026, Merritt ranks #1,911 for boys with 84 births, gradually falling (-10%). In total, more than 6K Merritts 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 Merritt
Phonetically similar names — useful when Merritt 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 Merritt
What does the name Merritt mean?
How popular is Merritt in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Merritt most popular?
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About the name Merritt
Merritt is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 6K births in the dataset. Merritt's peak popularity came in 1924 when it ranked #394. Use the chart and map above to compare Merritt's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1924 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "M" →
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- 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.