Merritt
Boy name · #1500 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Merritt? In official American birth records, Merritt has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Merritt ranks #1500 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 117 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2019, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 15,385 boys born in 2025 was named Merritt.
The 145-year story
Merritt first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 18 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 121 boys were named Merritt — good for #579 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 Merritt per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Merritt against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Merritt in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Merritt is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Merritt will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Merritt is most common
State-level data for Merritt 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 Merritt
Statistically, parents drawn to Merritt tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Monroe, Meyer, Warner, Harland, and Crawford.
MonroeMeyerWarnerHarlandCrawfordJenningsNobleCasimir
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Merritt | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 117 | #1499 |
| 2024 | 84 | #1891 |
| 2023 | 83 | #1896 |
| 2022 | 78 | #1965 |
| 2021 | 82 | #1870 |
| 2020 | 80 | #1849 |
| 2019 | 87 | #1777 |
| 2018 | 106 | #1576 |
| 2017 | 105 | #1554 |
| 2016 | 78 | #1890 |
| 2015 | 71 | #2019 |
| 2014 | 65 | #2116 |
| 2013 | 62 | #2139 |
| 2012 | 42 | #2811 |
| 2011 | 40 | #2904 |
| 2010 | 36 | #3128 |
| 2009 | 34 | #3274 |
| 2008 | 28 | #3744 |
| 2007 | 32 | #3379 |
| 2006 | 28 | #3602 |
| 2005 | 27 | #3528 |
| 2004 | 28 | #3368 |
| 2003 | 20 | #4114 |
| 2002 | 26 | #3349 |
| 2001 | 21 | #3842 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Merritt?
In official American birth records, the name Merritt first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 18 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Merritt a popular boy name?
Merritt ranked #1500 among boys in 2025 with 117 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2019.
When was the name Merritt most popular?
Merritt peaked in 1924, when 121 American boys received the name (ranked #579 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Merritt?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 15,385 newborn American boys was named Merritt. 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.