Mercy
Meaningmercy · English
- US rank
- #862
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #582 in 1881
313 babies were named Mercy in the US in 2025. It has dropped 61 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1881–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Mercy you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Mercy
Mercy Aigbe
Nigerian actress
Choose Mercy and your child shares a first name with Mercy Aigbe, a Nigerian actress. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Mercy, like who?” Mercy Aigbe's Wikipedia article is available in 25 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Mercy Aigbe on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 5,136 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Mercy, 313 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Mercy would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryMercy first shows up in US birth records in 1881, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 144 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 1881, when it reached #582.
- Then vs nowMercy is 3.2× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 16,207 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 5,136.
- TrendMercy has slipped 61 places over the last five years and now sits at #862. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedMercy is most popular in Iowa, where it ranks #437, followed by Tennessee (#453) and Maryland (#549). It's in the top 1,000 in 21 states.
- MeaningIn English, Mercy means “mercy”. Our records link it to English and Latin roots.
About the name Mercy
Mercy is a girl name of English and Latin origin meaning “mercy”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with M and ending in “-rcy”. US birth records list Mercy for girls from 1881 to 2025, in 137 of those 145 years. Its best year was 1881, when it ranked #582 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #862, with 313 babies.
Origin:English namesLatin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 46 | 21,802 girls |
| 1890s | 12 | 84,602 girls |
| 1900s | 21 | 47,687 girls |
| 1910s | 23 | 43,346 girls |
| 1920s | 30 | 33,124 girls |
| 1930s | 35 | 28,986 girls |
| 1940s | 28 | 35,575 girls |
| 1950s | 26 | 39,032 girls |
| 1960s | 20 | 49,310 girls |
| 1970s | 35 | 28,927 girls |
| 1980s | 25 | 40,733 girls |
| 1990s | 38 | 26,427 girls |
| 2000s | 83 | 12,079 girls |
| 2010s | 180 | 5,558 girls |
| 2020s | 207 | 4,821 girls |
Other spellings of Mercy
More English girl names
- Girl name: Olivia · olive tree
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Unisex name: Harper · harp player
- Girl name: Elizabeth · God is my oath
- Girl name: Lily · lily flower
- Girl name: Lucy · light
- Girl name: Lainey · possibly light
- Girl name: Scarlett · scarlet red
Questions about the name Mercy
What does the name Mercy mean?
Mercy means “mercy” in English.
What is the origin of the name Mercy?
Mercy has English, Latin roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Harper.
Is Mercy a boy or girl name?
Mercy is a girl name, though a few boys get it too.
How popular is the name Mercy?
Mercy ranked #862 for US girls in 2025, given to 313 babies. Its best year was 1881 (#582).