Merlin is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Merlin means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Merlin across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Merlin has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Merlin is a boy name of Welsh origin meaning “sea fortress”. From the Welsh Myrddin, the wizard of Arthurian legend.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 15,968 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 388 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 Merlin per year, United States (1885 to 2025). United States peaked in 1927 (405/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2017 (27/yr).
Merlin has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1927, when it ranked #611 nationally (given to 405 babies that year).
Marilyn · Marlene · Marlon · Marlin · Marlyn · Marylyn · Marlena · Merlyn
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