Meredith
Girl name · #469 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Meredith? In official American birth records, Meredith has been tracked continuously since 1895, giving it 130 years of documented American history.
Meredith is currently the #469 girl name in the United States — 656 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #589, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,744 girls born in 2025 was named Meredith.
The 130-year story
Meredith first appears in the Social Security records in 1895, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1980, when 2,071 girls were named Meredith — good for #140 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Meredith per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Meredith against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Meredith in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Meredith is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Meredith is most common
Geography matters for names, and Meredith is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Meredith is most common in AL (1.3 per 1,000), MS (1.2 per 1,000), LA (1.1 per 1,000), IA (1 per 1,000), IN (0.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Meredith is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Meredith
Statistically, parents drawn to Meredith tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Veronica, Melissa, Alison, Monica, and Alicia.
VeronicaMelissaAlisonMonicaAliciaRebeccaDanielleJanelle
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Meredith | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 656 | #469 |
| 2024 | 623 | #491 |
| 2023 | 595 | #509 |
| 2022 | 557 | #549 |
| 2021 | 534 | #570 |
| 2020 | 499 | #585 |
| 2019 | 527 | #579 |
| 2018 | 598 | #523 |
| 2017 | 628 | #499 |
| 2016 | 588 | #529 |
| 2015 | 510 | #589 |
| 2014 | 477 | #609 |
| 2013 | 433 | #658 |
| 2012 | 423 | #669 |
| 2011 | 477 | #601 |
| 2010 | 486 | #604 |
| 2009 | 635 | #484 |
| 2008 | 710 | #445 |
| 2007 | 952 | #346 |
| 2006 | 1,064 | #312 |
| 2005 | 853 | #366 |
| 2004 | 953 | #335 |
| 2003 | 840 | #363 |
| 2002 | 833 | #356 |
| 2001 | 957 | #324 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Meredith?
In official American birth records, the name Meredith first appeared in 1895 (over 130 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Meredith a popular girl name?
Meredith ranked #469 among girls in 2025 with 656 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #589.
When was the name Meredith most popular?
Meredith peaked in 1980, when 2,071 American girls received the name (ranked #140 that year). Since 1980 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Meredith?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,744 newborn American girls was named Meredith. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.