Merle Boy
How popular is Merle?
#3,449 boy name in 2025
33 baby boys were named Merle in the US in 2025, making it the 3449th most popular boy name. Another 5 girls got the name (#14,938 for girls).
12,124living people named Merle (est.)
74median age of people named Merle
45,389babies named Merle since 1880
1 in 87,246US babies born in 2025
Merle popularity over time
Boys Girls
| Rank in 2025 | #3,449 for boys (▲ 1118 from 2024) |
|---|---|
| Babies in 2025 | 33 boys, 5 girls |
| 10-year trend | Rising fast (+57% babies vs 2015) |
| Earlier ranks | #4,543 in 2015, #3,342 in 2020 |
| Peak year | 1925 (836 boys) |
| Highest rank | #170 in 1918 |
| First recorded | 1880 |
| Boys vs girls (last 10 years) | 98% boys, 2% girls |
| Chance a classmate shares it | 0.0% in a class of 25 kids born in 2025 |
Merle by decade
| Decade | Baby boys | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 207 | #284 |
| 1890s | 378 | #252 |
| 1900s | 651 | #216 |
| 1910s | 4,645 | #170 |
| 1920s | 7,970 | #171 |
| 1930s | 5,800 | #196 |
| 1940s | 4,187 | #254 |
| 1950s | 3,031 | #338 |
| 1960s | 1,503 | #578 |
| 1970s | 929 | #656 |
| 1980s | 502 | #1,107 |
| 1990s | 292 | #2,165 |
| 2000s | 214 | #2,983 |
| 2010s | 180 | #4,350 |
| 2020s | 177 | #3,053 |
Boy names about as popular as Merle
Questions
- Is Merle a boy or girl name?
- Merle is mostly a boy name. Over the last 10 years, 98% of babies named Merle were boys.
- How popular is the name Merle?
- 33 baby boys were named Merle in the US in 2025, making it the 3449th most popular boy name. Another 5 girls got the name (#14,938 for girls).
- When was Merle most popular?
- Merle peaked in 1925, when 836 boys were given the name. Its highest rank was #170 in 1918.
- How many people are named Merle?
- 45,389 babies have been named Merle in the US since 1880. We estimate about 12,124 of them are alive in 2026, with a median age of 74.
Source: Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880 to 2025 (names given to at least 5 babies of a sex in a year). Living-people and median-age figures are our estimates using US life tables. How we calculate.