Merida
Girl name · #2655 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Merida? In official American birth records, Merida has been tracked continuously since 1916, giving it 109 years of documented American history.
Merida ranks #2655 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 65 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1996, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 27,692 girls born in 2025 was named Merida.
The 109-year story
Merida first appears in the Social Security records in 1916, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 116 girls were named Merida — good for #1792 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Merida per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Merida against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Merida in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Merida is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Merida will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Merida is most common
State-level data for Merida is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Merida
Statistically, parents drawn to Merida tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Vaida, Farida, Miliana, Aleida, and Mishka.
VaidaFaridaMilianaAleidaMishkaMishikaMeilaManha
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Merida | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65 | #2645 |
| 2024 | 74 | #2434 |
| 2023 | 66 | #2646 |
| 2022 | 80 | #2319 |
| 2021 | 90 | #2103 |
| 2020 | 91 | #2034 |
| 2019 | 85 | #2170 |
| 2018 | 85 | #2190 |
| 2017 | 116 | #1792 |
| 2016 | 102 | #1956 |
| 2015 | 99 | #1996 |
| 2014 | 103 | #1940 |
| 2013 | 110 | #1834 |
| 2012 | 19 | #6576 |
| 2002 | 5 | #15432 |
| 2001 | 5 | #15352 |
| 1996 | 8 | #9581 |
| 1992 | 7 | #10479 |
| 1990 | 5 | #12958 |
| 1988 | 6 | #10386 |
| 1985 | 5 | #10677 |
| 1984 | 6 | #9144 |
| 1983 | 5 | #10275 |
| 1981 | 10 | #6323 |
| 1980 | 11 | #5912 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Merida?
In official American birth records, the name Merida first appeared in 1916 (over 109 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 109 years.
Is Merida a popular girl name?
Merida ranked #2655 among girls in 2025 with 65 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1996.
When was the name Merida most popular?
Merida peaked in 2017, when 116 American girls received the name (ranked #1792 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Merida?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 27,692 newborn American girls was named Merida. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.