Merritt
Boy name · #1500 in 2025 · Uniqueness 54/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Merritt against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Merritt in class?
Merritt scores 54 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Merritt is most common
Geography matters for names, and Merritt is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Merritts were TX (13), AL (8), MO (8), NC (7), NE (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 54/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.