Merle
#14,942 for girls in 2025, 5 births · #3,450 for boys in 2025, 33 births
Given to boys 67.6% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 1918 · 795 births
- Debut · boys
- 17 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 30,666since 1880
Merle 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 | #14,942 | 5 | #3,450 | 33 |
| 2024 | — | #4,571 | 22 | |
| 2023 | — | #3,055 | 40 | |
| 2022 | — | #3,995 | 27 | |
| 2021 | — | #4,494 | 22 | |
| 2020 | — | #3,344 | 33 | |
| 2019 | — | #4,480 | 22 | |
| 2018 | — | #4,354 | 23 | |
| 2017 | — | #4,746 | 20 | |
| 2016 | — | #6,053 | 14 | |
| 2015 | — | #4,545 | 21 | |
| 2014 | — | #5,733 | 15 | |
| 2013 | — | #5,404 | 16 | |
| 2012 | — | #8,158 | 9 | |
| 2011 | — | #4,983 | 18 | |
| 2010 | — | #4,366 | 22 | |
| 2009 | — | #4,429 | 22 | |
| 2008 | — | #4,901 | 19 | |
| 2007 | — | #5,210 | 17 | |
| 2006 | — | #3,782 | 26 | |
| 2005 | — | #4,631 | 18 | |
| 2004 | #16,099 | 5 | #4,129 | 21 |
| 2003 | #15,784 | 5 | #3,838 | 22 |
| 2002 | — | #5,395 | 13 | |
| 2001 | — | #2,988 | 30 | |
| 2000 | — | #3,219 | 26 | |
| 1999 | — | #3,376 | 23 | |
| 1998 | — | #3,597 | 20 | |
| 1997 | — | #2,750 | 28 | |
| 1996 | — | #2,679 | 28 | |
| 1995 | #11,783 | 6 | #2,253 | 35 |
| 1994 | — | #2,766 | 26 | |
| 1993 | #11,780 | 6 | #2,257 | 34 |
| 1992 | #11,738 | 6 | #2,253 | 33 |
| 1991 | #13,147 | 5 | #2,227 | 32 |
| 1990 | — | #2,170 | 33 | |
| 1989 | #6,160 | 13 | #2,359 | 28 |
| 1988 | — | #1,525 | 48 | |
| 1987 | #9,825 | 6 | #1,612 | 43 |
| 1986 | #9,545 | 6 | #1,760 | 35 |
| 1985 | — | #1,389 | 49 | |
| 1984 | #9,144 | 6 | #1,294 | 51 |
| 1983 | — | #1,107 | 65 | |
| 1982 | #7,469 | 8 | #1,229 | 57 |
| 1981 | #5,254 | 13 | #1,111 | 67 |
| 1980 | #10,392 | 5 | #1,187 | 59 |
| 1979 | #8,061 | 7 | #991 | 80 |
| 1978 | #5,563 | 11 | #1,134 | 60 |
| 1977 | — | #954 | 80 | |
| 1976 | #9,284 | 5 | #1,030 | 65 |
| 1975 | #6,484 | 8 | #961 | 73 |
| 1974 | #5,776 | 9 | #914 | 79 |
| 1973 | #4,362 | 13 | #825 | 93 |
| 1972 | #4,300 | 13 | #752 | 111 |
| 1971 | #5,136 | 10 | #656 | 157 |
| 1970 | #3,435 | 18 | #717 | 131 |
| 1969 | #3,318 | 17 | #742 | 111 |
| 1968 | #2,789 | 21 | #649 | 135 |
| 1967 | #2,868 | 19 | #763 | 92 |
| 1966 | #2,453 | 24 | #672 | 121 |
| 1965 | #2,464 | 24 | #605 | 159 |
| 1964 | #1,918 | 38 | #607 | 166 |
| 1963 | #1,683 | 46 | #578 | 187 |
| 1962 | #1,540 | 53 | #582 | 180 |
| 1961 | #1,454 | 59 | #595 | 176 |
| 1960 | #1,393 | 62 | #587 | 176 |
| 1959 | #1,230 | 75 | #523 | 227 |
| 1958 | #1,075 | 95 | #506 | 232 |
| 1957 | #1,116 | 88 | #488 | 256 |
| 1956 | #977 | 107 | #439 | 292 |
| 1955 | #916 | 115 | #431 | 289 |
| 1954 | #802 | 137 | #409 | 307 |
| 1953 | #835 | 123 | #388 | 325 |
| 1952 | #770 | 134 | #366 | 340 |
| 1951 | #753 | 136 | #360 | 368 |
| 1950 | #721 | 141 | #339 | 395 |
| 1949 | #675 | 153 | #357 | 354 |
| 1948 | #618 | 179 | #321 | 432 |
| 1947 | #599 | 203 | #344 | 392 |
| 1946 | #549 | 206 | #319 | 406 |
| 1945 | #511 | 205 | #307 | 373 |
| 1944 | #466 | 239 | #305 | 391 |
| 1943 | #486 | 232 | #290 | 448 |
| 1942 | #440 | 275 | #288 | 442 |
| 1941 | #463 | 225 | #254 | 482 |
| 1940 | #443 | 237 | #254 | 467 |
| 1939 | #406 | 275 | #225 | 529 |
| 1938 | #415 | 264 | #228 | 525 |
| 1937 | #370 | 302 | #228 | 519 |
| 1936 | #337 | 341 | #209 | 568 |
| 1935 | #389 | 270 | #226 | 521 |
| 1934 | #447 | 212 | #207 | 599 |
| 1933 | #476 | 183 | #204 | 573 |
| 1932 | #459 | 200 | #210 | 593 |
| 1931 | #441 | 213 | #198 | 662 |
| 1930 | #436 | 237 | #196 | 711 |
| 1929 | #440 | 224 | #188 | 731 |
| 1928 | #389 | 293 | #186 | 764 |
| 1927 | #386 | 311 | #178 | 808 |
| 1926 | #365 | 340 | #180 | 787 |
| 1925 | #333 | 404 | #175 | 836 |
| 1924 | #346 | 383 | #184 | 782 |
| 1923 | #321 | 409 | #180 | 775 |
| 1922 | #330 | 394 | #172 | 835 |
| 1921 | #311 | 442 | #173 | 833 |
| 1920 | #324 | 403 | #171 | 819 |
| 1919 | #331 | 370 | #182 | 721 |
| 1918 | #332 | 375 | #170 | 795 |
| 1917 | #327 | 360 | #178 | 701 |
| 1916 | #312 | 373 | #190 | 604 |
| 1915 | #315 | 353 | #186 | 595 |
| 1914 | #336 | 247 | #201 | 415 |
| 1913 | #313 | 232 | #202 | 331 |
| 1912 | #307 | 221 | #206 | 268 |
| 1911 | #320 | 151 | #236 | 115 |
| 1910 | #333 | 138 | #235 | 100 |
| 1909 | #331 | 120 | #254 | 76 |
| 1908 | #322 | 120 | #244 | 76 |
| 1907 | #329 | 112 | #224 | 82 |
| 1906 | #368 | 84 | #229 | 72 |
| 1905 | #321 | 110 | #254 | 59 |
| 1904 | #339 | 92 | #260 | 53 |
| 1903 | #293 | 112 | #216 | 69 |
| 1902 | #298 | 112 | #242 | 58 |
| 1901 | #316 | 91 | #237 | 52 |
| 1900 | #310 | 113 | #281 | 54 |
| 1899 | #319 | 88 | #257 | 42 |
| 1898 | #355 | 77 | #252 | 49 |
| 1897 | #351 | 70 | #316 | 34 |
| 1896 | #312 | 86 | #277 | 44 |
| 1895 | #303 | 91 | #262 | 46 |
| 1894 | #333 | 70 | #285 | 38 |
| 1893 | #343 | 61 | #341 | 27 |
| 1892 | #338 | 60 | #298 | 38 |
| 1891 | #365 | 46 | #277 | 34 |
| 1890 | #301 | 68 | #345 | 26 |
| 1889 | #371 | 42 | #284 | 35 |
| 1888 | #503 | 25 | #505 | 15 |
| 1887 | #661 | 12 | #333 | 24 |
| 1886 | #606 | 14 | #369 | 22 |
| 1885 | #542 | 16 | #332 | 26 |
| 1884 | #520 | 16 | #416 | 19 |
| 1883 | #499 | 15 | #346 | 23 |
| 1882 | #560 | 11 | #514 | 13 |
| 1881 | #740 | 6 | #487 | 13 |
| 1880 | #738 | 6 | #425 | 17 |
In the first year the SSA published name data, Merle was already there! It came in at #425, and was given to 17 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 2012, when fewer than 10 boys a year got the name.
Where Merle is popular in 1950
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- South Dakota#112 · 1 in 621
- Iowa#117 · 1 in 752
- Nebraska#135 · 1 in 872
- Maine#146 · 1 in 1,040
- Kansas#170 · 1 in 1,171
Best ever in a state: #40 in South Dakota, 1926.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | #112 | 13 | 1 in 621 |
| Iowa | #117 | 40 | 1 in 752 |
| Nebraska | #135 | 17 | 1 in 872 |
| Maine | #146 | 9 | 1 in 1,040 |
| Kansas | #170 | 17 | 1 in 1,171 |
| Minnesota | #181 | 18 | 1 in 1,979 |
| Washington | #207 | 15 | 1 in 1,805 |
| Pennsylvania | #213 | 35 | 1 in 3,097 |
| Oregon | #228 | 8 | 1 in 2,101 |
| Illinois | #242 | 30 | 1 in 3,091 |
| Oklahoma | #261 | 10 | 1 in 2,379 |
| Ohio | #268 | 22 | 1 in 4,128 |
| Wisconsin | #268 | 7 | 1 in 5,594 |
| West Virginia | #282 | 7 | 1 in 3,472 |
| Michigan | #291 | 15 | 1 in 5,184 |
| Kentucky | #335 | 8 | 1 in 4,465 |
| California | #338 | 26 | 1 in 4,694 |
| Missouri | #346 | 7 | 1 in 5,955 |
| Indiana | #359 | 6 | 1 in 7,488 |
| Tennessee | #385 | 6 | 1 in 6,534 |
| Virginia | #413 | 6 | 1 in 6,169 |
| North Carolina | #460 | 7 | 1 in 7,176 |
| Louisiana | #464 | 6 | 1 in 5,903 |
| Georgia | #497 | 5 | 1 in 8,687 |
| New York | #500 | 10 | 1 in 15,085 |
| Texas | #801 | 7 | 1 in 14,833 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Florida | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| 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 Merle
- 1,121 spots since 2024 (#4,571 → #3,450)
- 106 spots since 2020 (#3,344 → #3,450)
- 1,095 spots since 2015 (#4,545 → #3,450)
- Biggest jump: 221 spots in 1889 (#505 → #284)
- Biggest drop: 196 spots in 1980 (#991 → #1,187)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1918 at #170 (795 births)
- Births halved by 1944, 26 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 98 yrs · run 1880–1975
- Highest: 1 in 1,275 boys born in 1918 were named Merle (0.08%)
- Latest: 1 in 51,760 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
- 26.0% of all boys named Merle (7,970) were born in this decade
- Mostly girls until 1911, mostly boys since
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 207 | #284 (1889) | #401 |
| 1890s | 378 | #252 (1898) | #291 |
| 1900s | 651 | #216 (1903) | #244 |
| 1910s | 4,645 | #170 (1918) | #199 |
| 1920s | 7,970 | #171 (1920) | #179 |
| 1930s | 5,800 | #196 (1930) | #213 |
| 1940s | 4,187 | #254 (1941) | #304 |
| 1950s | 3,031 | #339 (1950) | #425 |
| 1960s | 1,503 | #578 (1963) | #638 |
| 1970s | 929 | #656 (1971) | #893 |
| 1980s | 502 | #1,107 (1983) | #1,457 |
| 1990s | 292 | #2,170 (1990) | #2,633 |
| 2000s | 214 | #2,988 (2001) | #4,252 |
| 2010s | 180 | #4,354 (2018) | #5,282 |
| 2020s | 177 | #3,055 (2023) | #3,818 |
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.
Merle in 1950
Top girls' names in 1950
Top boys' names in 1950
More about 1950
girls
1,713,054 girls got a published name in 1950; 1 in 12,149 of them was named Merle, which outranked 88.2% of the 6,109 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
boys
1,790,262 boys got a published name in 1950; 1 in 4,532 of them was named Merle, which outranked 91.9% of the 4,196 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.