Merlin
#7,491 for girls in 2025, 14 births · #2,332 for boys in 2025, 59 births
Given to boys 94.2% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 1927 · 389 births
- Debut · boys
- 6 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 15,049since 1885
Merlin over time
Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #7,491 | 14 | #2,332 | 59 |
| 2024 | #7,967 | 13 | #2,057 | 73 |
| 2023 | #8,055 | 13 | #2,277 | 62 |
| 2022 | #9,056 | 11 | #2,675 | 49 |
| 2021 | #8,464 | 12 | #2,079 | 70 |
| 2020 | #6,629 | 17 | #2,467 | 52 |
| 2019 | #9,736 | 10 | #2,491 | 53 |
| 2018 | #8,617 | 12 | #2,325 | 57 |
| 2017 | #7,840 | 14 | #2,388 | 54 |
| 2016 | #9,411 | 11 | #2,935 | 40 |
| 2015 | #8,931 | 12 | #3,231 | 35 |
| 2014 | #8,966 | 12 | #3,234 | 34 |
| 2013 | #11,969 | 8 | #2,998 | 37 |
| 2012 | #7,804 | 15 | #2,954 | 39 |
| 2011 | #9,150 | 12 | #3,434 | 31 |
| 2010 | #7,880 | 15 | #4,099 | 24 |
| 2009 | #7,341 | 17 | #2,946 | 40 |
| 2008 | #5,434 | 26 | #2,946 | 40 |
| 2007 | #5,526 | 25 | #2,765 | 43 |
| 2006 | #5,906 | 22 | #2,477 | 49 |
| 2005 | #6,528 | 18 | #2,846 | 37 |
| 2004 | #8,716 | 12 | #2,419 | 46 |
| 2003 | #4,307 | 30 | #2,392 | 44 |
| 2002 | #7,045 | 15 | #2,372 | 43 |
| 2001 | #7,317 | 14 | #1,982 | 54 |
| 2000 | #8,027 | 12 | #2,136 | 47 |
| 1999 | #14,411 | 5 | #1,966 | 49 |
| 1998 | #8,584 | 10 | #2,068 | 45 |
| 1997 | #10,836 | 7 | #2,613 | 30 |
| 1996 | #6,392 | 14 | #2,145 | 39 |
| 1995 | #5,019 | 19 | #2,055 | 40 |
| 1994 | #5,249 | 18 | #2,618 | 28 |
| 1993 | #11,780 | 6 | #1,969 | 41 |
| 1992 | #5,051 | 19 | #2,253 | 33 |
| 1991 | #7,430 | 11 | #1,867 | 42 |
| 1990 | #7,880 | 10 | #1,780 | 44 |
| 1989 | #8,761 | 8 | #2,416 | 27 |
| 1988 | — | #1,514 | 49 | |
| 1987 | #9,825 | 6 | #1,709 | 39 |
| 1986 | — | #1,791 | 34 | |
| 1985 | — | #1,504 | 44 | |
| 1984 | — | #1,556 | 39 | |
| 1983 | #8,047 | 7 | #1,516 | 40 |
| 1982 | #10,517 | 5 | #1,415 | 45 |
| 1981 | — | #1,479 | 42 | |
| 1980 | #9,095 | 6 | #1,357 | 48 |
| 1979 | — | #1,390 | 45 | |
| 1978 | — | #1,299 | 48 | |
| 1977 | — | #1,289 | 48 | |
| 1976 | — | #1,179 | 53 | |
| 1975 | — | #1,228 | 48 | |
| 1974 | — | #1,091 | 57 | |
| 1973 | #8,423 | 5 | #1,163 | 50 |
| 1972 | #7,292 | 6 | #960 | 71 |
| 1971 | — | #1,007 | 65 | |
| 1970 | — | #1,192 | 48 | |
| 1969 | — | #885 | 74 | |
| 1968 | — | #893 | 65 | |
| 1967 | — | #836 | 73 | |
| 1966 | #4,493 | 9 | #778 | 87 |
| 1965 | — | #820 | 81 | |
| 1964 | #6,767 | 5 | #774 | 95 |
| 1963 | — | #746 | 108 | |
| 1962 | — | #776 | 96 | |
| 1961 | — | #735 | 110 | |
| 1960 | — | #752 | 105 | |
| 1959 | — | #669 | 130 | |
| 1958 | #6,103 | 5 | #615 | 156 |
| 1957 | #6,086 | 5 | #634 | 147 |
| 1956 | #5,952 | 5 | #622 | 150 |
| 1955 | #5,208 | 6 | #555 | 175 |
| 1954 | #4,278 | 8 | #600 | 151 |
| 1953 | — | #567 | 158 | |
| 1952 | #4,908 | 6 | #559 | 156 |
| 1951 | — | #514 | 176 | |
| 1950 | — | #506 | 175 | |
| 1949 | #5,244 | 5 | #544 | 150 |
| 1948 | #2,974 | 12 | #532 | 155 |
| 1947 | #3,240 | 11 | #529 | 163 |
| 1946 | #3,994 | 7 | #442 | 207 |
| 1945 | #3,676 | 7 | #437 | 187 |
| 1944 | — | #419 | 208 | |
| 1943 | #4,691 | 5 | #375 | 266 |
| 1942 | #3,444 | 8 | #418 | 217 |
| 1941 | #3,954 | 6 | #364 | 258 |
| 1940 | #3,503 | 7 | #364 | 249 |
| 1939 | #2,922 | 9 | #358 | 245 |
| 1938 | — | #331 | 284 | |
| 1937 | — | #339 | 257 | |
| 1936 | #2,032 | 15 | #329 | 274 |
| 1935 | #2,575 | 11 | #310 | 308 |
| 1934 | #3,802 | 6 | #323 | 283 |
| 1933 | #2,868 | 9 | #307 | 302 |
| 1932 | #2,831 | 10 | #309 | 314 |
| 1931 | #2,105 | 15 | #291 | 363 |
| 1930 | #4,550 | 5 | #311 | 333 |
| 1929 | #2,587 | 12 | #305 | 328 |
| 1928 | #3,743 | 7 | #320 | 307 |
| 1927 | #2,256 | 16 | #287 | 389 |
| 1926 | #2,474 | 14 | #296 | 368 |
| 1925 | #2,283 | 16 | #307 | 343 |
| 1924 | #3,144 | 10 | #312 | 337 |
| 1923 | #3,125 | 10 | #365 | 266 |
| 1922 | #3,152 | 10 | #316 | 328 |
| 1921 | #2,941 | 11 | #315 | 342 |
| 1920 | #3,957 | 7 | #327 | 314 |
| 1919 | #3,452 | 8 | #365 | 251 |
| 1918 | #2,674 | 12 | #355 | 268 |
| 1917 | #2,552 | 12 | #368 | 230 |
| 1916 | #2,658 | 11 | #369 | 220 |
| 1915 | — | #402 | 179 | |
| 1914 | — | #425 | 127 | |
| 1913 | — | #465 | 85 | |
| 1912 | #2,634 | 6 | #450 | 76 |
| 1911 | — | #514 | 33 | |
| 1910 | — | #598 | 23 | |
| 1909 | — | #590 | 20 | |
| 1908 | — | #438 | 30 | |
| 1907 | — | #511 | 21 | |
| 1906 | — | #709 | 12 | |
| 1905 | — | #786 | 10 | |
| 1904 | — | #612 | 14 | |
| 1903 | — | #783 | 9 | |
| 1902 | — | #583 | 14 | |
| 1901 | #1,466 | 6 | #858 | 7 |
| 1900 | — | #968 | 8 | |
| 1899 | — | #786 | 8 | |
| 1898 | — | #885 | 7 | |
| 1897 | — | — | ||
| 1896 | — | #982 | 6 | |
| 1895 | — | #685 | 10 | |
| 1894 | — | — | ||
| 1893 | — | — | ||
| 1892 | — | — | ||
| 1891 | — | #841 | 6 | |
| 1890 | — | #994 | 5 | |
| 1889 | — | — | ||
| 1888 | — | — | ||
| 1887 | — | #679 | 8 | |
| 1886 | — | — | ||
| 1885 | — | #836 | 6 | |
| 1884 | — | — | ||
| 1883 | — | — | ||
| 1882 | — | — | ||
| 1881 | — | — | ||
| 1880 | — | — | ||
The first year at least five boys were named Merlin! It came in at #836, and was given to 6 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1886, when fewer than 5 boys a year got the name.
Where Merlin is popular in 1931
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Iowa#91 · 1 in 441
- Idaho#103 · 1 in 430
- Wisconsin#111 · 1 in 620
- Minnesota#112 · 1 in 622
- Utah#116 · 1 in 473
Best ever in a state: #77 in Idaho, 1917.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | #91 | 43 | 1 in 441 |
| Idaho | #103 | 8 | 1 in 430 |
| Wisconsin | #111 | 38 | 1 in 620 |
| Minnesota | #112 | 32 | 1 in 622 |
| Utah | #116 | 10 | 1 in 473 |
| Kansas | #117 | 25 | 1 in 575 |
| Montana | #124 | 6 | 1 in 635 |
| South Dakota | #138 | 9 | 1 in 619 |
| Nebraska | #141 | 16 | 1 in 710 |
| North Dakota | #153 | 7 | 1 in 835 |
| Louisiana | #158 | 24 | 1 in 768 |
| Washington | #171 | 7 | 1 in 1,323 |
| Indiana | #211 | 11 | 1 in 2,168 |
| Ohio | #239 | 15 | 1 in 3,199 |
| Michigan | #246 | 14 | 1 in 2,781 |
| Missouri | #271 | 9 | 1 in 3,018 |
| Illinois | #301 | 11 | 1 in 4,901 |
| California | #314 | 11 | 1 in 3,307 |
| Virginia | #321 | 6 | 1 in 3,516 |
| Pennsylvania | #333 | 12 | 1 in 6,372 |
| Oklahoma | #366 | 5 | 1 in 4,329 |
| New York | #447 | 9 | 1 in 10,023 |
| Texas | #598 | 9 | 1 in 6,134 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Florida | — | — | — |
| Georgia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Carolina | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Merlin
- 275 spots since 2024 (#2,057 → #2,332)
- 135 spots since 2020 (#2,467 → #2,332)
- 899 spots since 2015 (#3,231 → #2,332)
- Biggest jump: 275 spots in 1902 (#858 → #583)
- Biggest drop: 307 spots in 1970 (#885 → #1,192)
- Debuted 1885
- Peaked 1927 at #287 (389 births)
- Births halved by 1945, 18 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 79 yrs · run 1898–1969
- Highest: 1 in 2,864 boys born in 1931 were named Merlin (0.03%)
- Latest: 1 in 28,950 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
- Its best rank, #287 in 1927, was only 1 in 2,897 (0.03%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 22.1% of all boys named Merlin (3,322) were born in this decade
- The majority has never changed
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 14 | #679 (1887) | #758 |
| 1890s | 42 | #685 (1895) | #862 |
| 1900s | 145 | #438 (1908) | #684 |
| 1910s | 1,492 | #355 (1918) | #431 |
| 1920s | 3,322 | #287 (1927) | #315 |
| 1930s | 2,963 | #291 (1931) | #321 |
| 1940s | 2,060 | #364 (1941) | #442 |
| 1950s | 1,574 | #506 (1950) | #584 |
| 1960s | 894 | #735 (1961) | #800 |
| 1970s | 533 | #960 (1972) | #1,180 |
| 1980s | 407 | #1,357 (1980) | #1,626 |
| 1990s | 391 | #1,780 (1990) | #2,133 |
| 2000s | 443 | #1,982 (2001) | #2,528 |
| 2010s | 404 | #2,325 (2018) | #3,009 |
| 2020s | 365 | #2,057 (2024) | #2,315 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Merlin in 1931
Top girls' names in 1931
Top boys' names in 1931
More about 1931
girls
1,064,728 girls got a published name in 1931; 1 in 70,982 of them was named Merlin, which outranked 57.7% of the 4,979 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #2,024Wauneta16
- #2,024Wilmer16
- #2,024Wynema16
- #2,105Merlin15
- #2,105Adah15
- #2,105Akiko15
- #2,105Aldona15
- #2,205Adelaida14
- #2,205Adora14
- #2,205Alena14
Tied with 99 names at #2,105; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,039,665 boys got a published name in 1931; 1 in 2,864 of them was named Merlin, which outranked 93.3% of the 4,321 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.