Merle
Boy name · #3450 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Merle? In official American birth records, Merle has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Merle is currently the #3450 boy name in the United States — 33 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #4545, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 54,545 boys born in 2025 was named Merle.
The 145-year story
Merle first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 17 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1925, when 836 boys were named Merle — good for #175 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 Merle per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Merle against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Merle in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Merle is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Merle will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Merle is most common
State-level data for Merle 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 Merle
Statistically, parents drawn to Merle tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Mose, Claude, Jimmie, Bennie, and Hubert.
MoseClaudeJimmieBennieHubertMurrayMarionRufus
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Merle | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | #3450 |
| 2024 | 22 | #4571 |
| 2023 | 40 | #3055 |
| 2022 | 27 | #3995 |
| 2021 | 22 | #4494 |
| 2020 | 33 | #3344 |
| 2019 | 22 | #4480 |
| 2018 | 23 | #4354 |
| 2017 | 20 | #4746 |
| 2016 | 14 | #6053 |
| 2015 | 21 | #4545 |
| 2014 | 15 | #5733 |
| 2013 | 16 | #5404 |
| 2012 | 9 | #8158 |
| 2011 | 18 | #4983 |
| 2010 | 22 | #4366 |
| 2009 | 22 | #4429 |
| 2008 | 19 | #4901 |
| 2007 | 17 | #5210 |
| 2006 | 26 | #3782 |
| 2005 | 18 | #4631 |
| 2004 | 21 | #4129 |
| 2003 | 22 | #3838 |
| 2002 | 13 | #5395 |
| 2001 | 30 | #2988 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Merle?
In official American birth records, the name Merle first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 17 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Merle a popular boy name?
Merle ranked #3450 among boys in 2025 with 33 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4545.
When was the name Merle most popular?
Merle peaked in 1925, when 836 American boys received the name (ranked #175 that year). Since 1925 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Merle?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 54,545 newborn American boys was named Merle. 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.