Merle is a unisex name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Merle means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Merle across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Merle has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Merle is a unisex name of French, Latin origin meaning “blackbird”. From the French word for blackbird.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 45,389 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 56 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 3 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Merle per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1921 (1,275/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2002 (7/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1981 (3/yr).
Merle has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1921, when it ranked #309 nationally (given to 1,275 babies that year).
Muriel · Marley · Marla · Marely · Marlo · Merrill · Marlee · Merrily
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