Merrill

#10,917 for girls in 2025, 8 births · #6,143 for boys in 2025, 14 births
Given to boys 86.2% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1916 · 270 births
Debut · boys
13 births
In top 100 · boys
never
of 146 years
Total births · boys
12,988
since 1880

Merrill over time

girlsboys

Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201940peak #1,229, 1942peak #320, 1916girlsboys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#10,9178#6,14314
2024#12,1617#10,9386
2023#9,7637
2022#12,2437#8,9908
2021#9,56210#10,7996
2020#10,2509#10,6056
2019#8,59712#7,64310
2018#13,7936#8,8198
2017#12,7137#10,7756
2016#7,98814#7,15711
2015#8,93112#6,67612
2014#13,0697#9,6427
2013#11,9698#10,7286
2012#9,71111#8,8648
2011#11,1819#7,00911
2010#10,45110#6,69812
2009#10,67910#10,9946
2008#9,47612#7,18711
2007#9,53912#8,1739
2006#8,23714#8,7328
2005#13,0107#5,87513
2004#9,26411#6,52011
2003#10,4259#6,71510
2002#9,48210
2001#10,1029#8,3397
2000#9,16310#6,8399
1999#5,89617#3,83419
1998#8,58410#6,3149
1997#9,8028#4,24615
1996#8,13210#4,39614
1995#5,43917#3,55918
1994#5,71316#3,91116
1993#6,62213#3,04222
1992#5,05119#3,33819
1991#5,65916#2,05236
1990#4,69420#2,69524
1989#5,04917#2,90221
1988#6,66611#3,07917
1987#5,31214#1,93832
1986#3,75722#2,36023
1985#4,28218#2,07127
1984#5,22213#1,76432
1983#5,14813#1,49041
1982#4,94514#1,77432
1981#3,73921#1,45643
1980#3,41124#1,32450
1979#9,0106#1,30450
1978#5,21412#1,25851
1977#5,53211#1,31247
1976#5,60110#1,19052
1975#5,51610#1,34542
1974#4,72012#1,24445
1973#4,15514#1,32939
1972#3,54317#1,30741
1971#3,78916#1,13852
1970#3,31119#1,17849
1969#2,91721#1,01757
1968#2,12632#89864
1967#3,84512#91562
1966#2,19129#98455
1965#2,83319#88169
1964#2,60023#89572
1963#2,30627#78594
1962#2,60522#80888
1961#1,92136#762102
1960#2,01332#730111
1959#2,05430#752102
1958#1,79137#701114
1957#2,06728#628149
1956#1,93131#611153
1955#1,49846#608148
1954#1,42250#593155
1953#1,35851#590149
1952#1,38649#546163
1951#1,39645#562149
1950#1,27652#521164
1949#1,26552#542151
1948#1,49938#516163
1947#1,39744#480194
1946#1,39439#460191
1945#1,40233#454171
1944#2,40114#460174
1943#1,70325#391242
1942#1,22942#399230
1941#1,81020#401210
1940#1,84519#388215
1939#2,41712#372235
1938#1,75220#384215
1937#1,73520#365221
1936#2,03215#353233
1935#1,60622#397188
1934#2,42412#355239
1933#2,16114#377207
1932#2,23514#355243
1931#2,42712#341257
1930#3,3458#352260
1929#2,09816#342269
1928#2,09417#342278
1927#3,2849#343284
1926#2,25716#331305
1925#2,11918#340292
1924#2,66113#368266
1923#2,46514#354278
1922#4,4456#355276
1921#2,63313#358283
1920#2,17217#345289
1919#3,4528#338279
1918#2,10217#333296
1917#2,31614#347257
1916#2,02816#320270
1915#2,52611#325261
1914#2,26510#367166
1913#2,8276#357136
1912#1,62012#346119
1911#36857
1910#44039
1909#1,9576#36542
1908#40334
1907#38833
1906#1,9515#36333
1905#1,9315#34635
1904#34434
1903#34631
1902#38826
1901#35926
1900#47723
1899#34627
1898#37727
1897#41121
1896#40723
1895#38325
1894#50216
1893#34926
1892#64111
1891#56411
1890#51114
1889#6739
1888#52814
1887#51612
1886#9595
1885#60410
1884#57011
1883#38120
1882#61110
1881#7067
1880#50513
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Merrill was already there! It came in at #505, and was given to 13 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 2002, when fewer than 5 boys a year got the name.

Where Merrill is popular in 1940

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedWAIdaho: #132 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 606 boysIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #285 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 3,990 boysMNIllinois: #354 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 6,544 boysILWisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedWIMichigan: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedMINew York: #319 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 5,859 boysNYMassachusetts: #178 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,791 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedSDIowa: #187 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 1,503 boysIAIndiana: #173 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 1,422 boysINOhio: #354 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 6,769 boysOHPennsylvania: #262 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 4,266 boysPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #397 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 5,856 boysCAUtah: #114 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 503 boysUTColorado: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedNEMissouri: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedMOKentucky: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedWVVirginia: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedVAMaryland: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedNMKansas: #230 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,158 boysKSArkansas: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedARTennessee: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedOKLouisiana: #423 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 4,526 boysLAMississippi: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedALGeorgia: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedHITexas: fewer than 5 boys named Merrill, so not publishedTXFlorida: #255 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 2,209 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Utah#114 · 1 in 503
  2. Idaho#132 · 1 in 606
  3. Indiana#173 · 1 in 1,422
  4. Massachusetts#178 · 1 in 2,791
  5. Iowa#187 · 1 in 1,503

Best ever in a state: #61 in Vermont, 1925.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Utah#114111 in 503
Idaho#13281 in 606
Indiana#173201 in 1,422
Massachusetts#178111 in 2,791
Iowa#187141 in 1,503
Kansas#23061 in 2,158
Florida#25571 in 2,209
Pennsylvania#262181 in 4,266
Minnesota#28561 in 3,990
New York#319161 in 5,859
Illinois#35491 in 6,544
Ohio#35481 in 6,769
California#39791 in 5,856
Louisiana#42351 in 4,526
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Georgia
Hawaii
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
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 Merrill
Momentum · boys
Rising
  • 4,795 spots since 2024 (#10,938#6,143)
  • 4,462 spots since 2020 (#10,605#6,143)
  • 533 spots since 2015 (#6,676#6,143)
  • Biggest jump: 443 spots in 1887 (#959#516)
  • Biggest drop: 355 spots in 1886 (#604#959)
Rise & fade · boys
36 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1916 at #320 (270 births)
  • Births halved by 1958, 42 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 89 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 89 yrs · run 1880–1968
Share of babies · boys
1 in 3,251
  • Highest: 1 in 3,251 boys born in 1915 were named Merrill (0.03%)
  • Latest: 1 in 122,005 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
  • Its best rank, #320 in 1916, was only 1 in 3,297 (0.03%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1920s
  • 21.7% of all boys named Merrill (2,820) were born in this decade
Girls or boys?
Flipped in 2025
  • Mostly girls until 2024, mostly boys since
all girlsall boys
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s111#381 (1883)#605
1890s201#346 (1899)#449
1900s317#344 (1904)#378
1910s1,880#320 (1916)#354
1920s2,820#331 (1926)#348
1930s2,298#341 (1931)#365
1940s1,941#388 (1940)#449
1950s1,446#521 (1950)#611
1960s774#730 (1960)#868
1970s468#1,138 (1971)#1,261
1980s318#1,324 (1980)#2,016
1990s192#2,052 (1991)#3,739
2000s84#5,875 (2005)#7,708
2010s91#6,676 (2015)#8,401
2020s47#6,143 (2025)#9,540

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.

Merrill in 1940

girls
#1,845
19 births · 1 in 60,186 girls
boys
#388
215 births · 1 in 5,391 boys

Top girls' names in 1940

  1. #1Mary56,216
  2. #2Barbara36,736
  3. #3Patricia32,665
  4. #4Judith22,385
  5. #5Betty22,077
  6. #6Carol21,759
  7. #7Nancy19,737
  8. #8Linda18,370
  9. #9Shirley17,881
  10. #10Sandra16,153
  11. #1,845Merrill19

Top boys' names in 1940

  1. #1James62,481
  2. #2Robert61,198
  3. #3John54,786
  4. #4William44,779
  5. #5Richard37,425
  6. #6Charles31,689
  7. #7David27,690
  8. #8Thomas23,991
  9. #9Donald23,115
  10. #10Ronald20,741
  11. #388Merrill215
More about 1940

girls

1,143,528 girls got a published name in 1940; 1 in 60,186 of them was named Merrill, which outranked 63.3% of the 5,028 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Merrill
  1. #1,792Vincenza20
  2. #1,792Wayne20
  3. #1,792Zetta20
  4. #1,845Merrill19
  5. #1,845America19
  6. #1,845Angel19
  7. #1,845Anthony19
  8. #1,900Alfredia18
  9. #1,900Bebe18
  10. #1,900Binnie18

Tied with 54 names at #1,845; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1939
Risers
  1. 2,494Scarlett#3,429#935
  2. 1,465Lonna#2,206#741
  3. 834Pam#1,797#963
  4. 659Jody#1,638#979
  5. 633Laraine#1,474#841
Fallers
  1. 481Fredia#996#1,477
  2. 430Eleanora#974#1,404
  3. 375Danielle#811#1,186
  4. 342Eloisa#930#1,272
  5. 298Coral#996#1,294

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,159,172 boys got a published name in 1940; 1 in 5,391 of them was named Merrill, which outranked 90.1% of the 3,937 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Merrill
  1. #385Abraham219
  2. #385Carmen219
  3. #387Gerry216
  4. #388Merrill215
  5. #389Ron214
  6. #389Shirley214
  7. #391Roscoe213
Biggest movers since 1939
Risers
  1. 565Whitney#1,458#893
  2. 447Gonzalo#1,297#850
  3. 419Weston#1,323#904
  4. 368Ashley#1,272#904
  5. 366Agustin#1,238#872
Fallers
  1. 886Montie#916#1,802
  2. 446Verlon#888#1,334
  3. 394Issac#857#1,251
  4. 392Otho#942#1,334
  5. 384Pearl#867#1,251

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1940