Merlyn is a unisex name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Merlyn means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Merlyn across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Merlyn has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Merlyn is a unisex name of Welsh origin meaning “sea fort”. A variant spelling of Merlin, the legendary wizard.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 5,045 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 18 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 Merlyn per year, United States (1908 to 2025). United States peaked in 1930 (159/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1998 (3/yr).
Merlyn has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1930, when it ranked #992 nationally (given to 159 babies that year).
Marilyn · Marlene · Marlon · Marlin · Merlin · Marlyn · Marilynn · Marylyn
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