Merle
Gender-neutral name · English · French · Latin
Meaningblackbird · French
- US rank
- #3,450
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #170 in 1918
33 babies were named Merle in the US in 2025. It has dropped 106 places in five years.
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US births per million girls, 1880–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Merle you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 51,813 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Merle, 33 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Merle would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryMerle has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Merles, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1918, when it ranked #170. Today it's #3,450, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendMerle has slipped 106 places over the last five years and now sits at #3,450. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Boy or girlMerle is given to both boys and girls: 87% of the 38 babies named Merle in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn French, Merle means “blackbird”. Our records link it to English, French and Latin roots.
About the name Merle
Merle is a gender-neutral name of English, French and Latin origin meaning “blackbird”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with M and ending in “-rle”. US birth records list Merle for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1918, when it ranked #170 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #3,450, with 33 babies. Of the 38 US babies named Merle in 2025, 13% were girls and 87% were boys.
Origin:English namesFrench namesLatin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 117 | 8,579 girls |
| 1890s | 321 | 3,112 girls |
| 1900s | 366 | 2,732 girls |
| 1910s | 350 | 2,856 girls |
| 1920s | 300 | 3,330 girls |
| 1930s | 234 | 4,270 girls |
| 1940s | 154 | 6,491 girls |
| 1950s | 61 | 16,518 girls |
| 1960s | 19 | 51,787 girls |
| 1970s | 6.0 | 165,837 girls |
| 1980s | 3.3 | 301,205 girls |
| 1990s | 1.3 | 787,402 girls |
| 2000s | 0.5 | 1,851,852 girls |
| 2020s | 0.5 | 1,935,484 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 190 | 5,262 boys |
| 1890s | 331 | 3,025 boys |
| 1900s | 481 | 2,077 boys |
| 1910s | 658 | 1,519 boys |
| 1920s | 724 | 1,382 boys |
| 1930s | 550 | 1,819 boys |
| 1940s | 290 | 3,444 boys |
| 1950s | 152 | 6,584 boys |
| 1960s | 77 | 12,925 boys |
| 1970s | 56 | 17,934 boys |
| 1980s | 27 | 36,483 boys |
| 1990s | 15 | 66,756 boys |
| 2000s | 11 | 93,197 boys |
| 2010s | 9.6 | 103,950 boys |
| 2020s | 17 | 58,423 boys |
More English names
- Girl name: Olivia · olive tree
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name Merle
What does the name Merle mean?
Merle means “blackbird” in French.
What is the origin of the name Merle?
Merle has English, French, Latin roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Oliver.
Is Merle a boy or girl name?
Both. Merle is used for boys and girls: in 2025, 13% of US babies named Merle were girls.
How popular is the name Merle?
Merle ranked #3,450 for US boys in 2025, given to 33 babies. Its best year was 1918 (#170).