Meryl
Variant of Merrill or Muriel. Muriel comes from a Celtic name joining elements meaning sea and bright, and reached England through Breton and Irish use.
Meryl in 2025
Meryl was given to 12 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 14,822nd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 276,279 babies born.
The history of Meryl
Meryl reached its highest point in 1956, when 156 babies were given the name, ranking 1,367th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 1,280th, in 1952.
Across the 134 years of records since 1892, 5,599 babies have been named Meryl. Half of them were born before 1956, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Baby Boomers.
Meryl by decade
| Decade | Babies named Meryl | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 31 | 1,915 |
| 1900s | 49 | 2,302 |
| 1910s | 250 | 1,858 |
| 1920s | 446 | 1,904 |
| 1930s | 387 | 1,707 |
| 1940s | 710 | 1,323 |
| 1950s | 1,327 | 1,280 |
| 1960s | 626 | 1,802 |
| 1970s | 199 | 3,560 |
| 1980s | 663 | 2,506 |
| 1990s | 335 | 4,032 |
| 2000s | 203 | 8,693 |
| 2010s | 263 | 5,649 |
| 2020s | 110 | 9,634 |
Where Meryl is heading
Meryl has fallen 76% over the past decade, from 50 babies in 2015 to 12 in 2025.
Names like Meryl
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Meryl.