Merlin
English form of the Welsh Myrddin, Latinized as Merlinus by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the twelfth century; Myrddin probably comes from Caerfyrddin, the Welsh name of Carmarthen.
Merlin in 2025
Merlin was given to 73 babies in the United States in 2025 — 59 boys and 14 girls, making it the 4,375th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 45,416 babies born.
The history of Merlin
Merlin reached its highest point in 1927, when 405 babies were given the name, ranking 611th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 605th, in 1931.
Across the 141 years of records since 1885, 15,968 babies have been named Merlin. Half of them were born before 1939, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Silent Generation.
Merlin by decade
| Decade | Babies named Merlin | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 14 | 1,570 |
| 1890s | 42 | 1,754 |
| 1900s | 151 | 1,152 |
| 1910s | 1,541 | 736 |
| 1920s | 3,435 | 611 |
| 1930s | 3,043 | 605 |
| 1940s | 2,128 | 770 |
| 1950s | 1,609 | 1,134 |
| 1960s | 908 | 1,736 |
| 1970s | 544 | 2,160 |
| 1980s | 439 | 3,106 |
| 1990s | 510 | 3,757 |
| 2000s | 634 | 3,925 |
| 2010s | 525 | 4,494 |
| 2020s | 445 | 3,979 |
Where Merlin is heading
Merlin has risen 55% over the past decade, from 47 babies in 2015 to 73 in 2025.
Names like Merlin
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Merlin.