Merrill
Gender-neutral name · English · French · German · Irish
- US rank
- #6,143
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #320 in 1916
14 babies were named Merrill in the US in 2025. It has climbed 4,462 places in five years.
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US births per million girls, 1905–2025
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 Merrill you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 121,951 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Merrill, 14 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Merrill would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryMerrill has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Merrills, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1916, when it ranked #320. Today it's #6,143, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendMerrill has climbed 4,462 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #6,143. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Boy or girlMerrill is given to both boys and girls: 64% of the 22 babies named Merrill in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
About the name Merrill
Merrill is a gender-neutral name of English, French and German origin. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with M and ending in “-ill”. US birth records list Merrill for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 145 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1916, when it ranked #320 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #6,143, with 14 babies. Of the 22 US babies named Merrill in 2025, 36% were girls and 64% were boys.
Origin:English namesFrench namesGerman namesIrish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 10 | 97,466 girls |
| 1910s | 11 | 94,877 girls |
| 1920s | 12 | 85,837 girls |
| 1930s | 14 | 71,378 girls |
| 1940s | 22 | 45,393 girls |
| 1950s | 22 | 45,372 girls |
| 1960s | 14 | 72,464 girls |
| 1970s | 8.2 | 122,100 girls |
| 1980s | 9.8 | 102,354 girls |
| 1990s | 8.1 | 123,762 girls |
| 2000s | 5.6 | 178,253 girls |
| 2010s | 5.5 | 182,815 girls |
| 2020s | 4.2 | 237,154 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 102 | 9,843 boys |
| 1890s | 176 | 5,680 boys |
| 1900s | 235 | 4,259 boys |
| 1910s | 271 | 3,685 boys |
| 1920s | 256 | 3,907 boys |
| 1930s | 218 | 4,597 boys |
| 1940s | 135 | 7,413 boys |
| 1950s | 72 | 13,873 boys |
| 1960s | 40 | 25,176 boys |
| 1970s | 28 | 35,286 boys |
| 1980s | 17 | 57,537 boys |
| 1990s | 9.8 | 102,041 boys |
| 2000s | 4.2 | 238,663 boys |
| 2010s | 4.8 | 206,612 boys |
| 2020s | 4.5 | 219,780 boys |
Other spellings of Merrill
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 Merrill
What is the origin of the name Merrill?
Merrill has English, French, German, Irish roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Oliver.
Is Merrill a boy or girl name?
Both. Merrill is used for boys and girls: in 2025, 36% of US babies named Merrill were girls.
How popular is the name Merrill?
Merrill ranked #6,143 for US boys in 2025, given to 14 babies. Its best year was 1916 (#320).