Merle
Merle was the #3,450 boys' name in the US in 2025 (33 babies).
Merle as a boy’s name
- US
- Canada
Show the numbers
| Year | US | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,450 (33) | — |
| 2024 | #4,571 (22) | — |
| 2023 | #3,055 (40) | — |
| 2022 | #3,995 (27) | — |
| 2021 | #4,494 (22) | — |
| 2020 | #3,344 (33) | — |
| 2019 | #4,480 (22) | — |
| 2018 | #4,354 (23) | — |
| 2017 | #4,746 (20) | — |
| 2016 | #6,053 (14) | — |
| 2015 | #4,545 (21) | #2,715 (5) |
| 2014 | #5,733 (15) | — |
| 2013 | #5,404 (16) | — |
| 2012 | #8,158 (9) | — |
| 2011 | #4,983 (18) | — |
Merle as a girl’s name
- US
- England & Wales
- Scotland
Show the numbers
| Year | US | England & Wales | Scotland |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #14,942 (5) | #5,927 (3) | — |
| 2015 | — | #4,736 (4) | — |
| 2013 | — | #4,739 (4) | — |
| 2011 | — | #5,785 (3) | — |
| 2010 | — | #4,688 (4) | — |
| 2009 | — | #3,936 (5) | — |
| 2007 | — | #4,294 (4) | — |
| 2004 | #16,099 (5) | #3,725 (4) | — |
| 2003 | #15,784 (5) | — | — |
| 2002 | — | #2,301 (7) | — |
| 2001 | — | #2,783 (5) | — |
| 2000 | — | #3,247 (4) | — |
| 1998 | — | #3,848 (3) | — |
| 1997 | — | #3,824 (3) | — |
| 1996 | — | #3,795 (3) | — |
The tide so far
- Peaked in the US in 1918 at #170.
- Holding steady over the last five years.
- In the US records since the data begins in 1880.
- A comeback: it faded for decades and is rising again.
- In 2025, 13% of US babies named Merle were girls.
How common is it?
about 1 in 53,000 baby boys in the published US list for 2025.
In a group of 1,000 children born that year, you would expect to meet fewer than 1. How we work this out.
How common, country by country
| Where | Sex | Latest year | Share | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | Boys | 2025 | about 1 in 53,000 | rare |
| US | Girls | 2025 | about 1 in 330,000 | rare |
| England & Wales | Girls | 2025 | about 1 in 83,000 | rare |
Next year
On its recent trend, Merle is likely to hold steady in the US in 2026: about 1 in 51,000 baby boys. Likely range 1 in 30,000 to 1 in 87,000.
Estimate, not an official figure. How we estimate.
Spellings
Official statistics count each spelling separately, so we show them side by side rather than adding them up.
| Spelling | Where | Sex | Latest rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merle | Canada | Boys | — | too few |
| Merle | England & Wales | Girls | #5,927 | 3 |
| Merle | Northern Ireland | Boys | — | too few |
| Merle | Scotland | Girls | — | too few |
| Merle | US | Girls | #14,942 | 5 |
| Merle | US | Boys | #3,450 | 33 |