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Name Lineage

    The first name Mercy

    A girl’s name.

    2 syllables Female Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    From mercy in the 17th century; one of the less common Puritan virtue names. In modern use sometimes used to anglicize Spanish Mercedes.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 27 girls were named Mercy, making it the 1,197th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2010, with 44 births (#821).

    02550 1996200020052010201520202025
    706
    babies named Mercy, 1996–2025
    #1,197
    rank in 2025
    2010
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Mercy with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Mercy at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 313 girls born in the United States were named Mercy, the 867th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2019, when 441 were.

    0250500 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    10,864
    babies named Mercy since 1880
    #867
    rank in 2025
    2019
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Mercy in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    Mercedes
    Spanish

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Mercy

    Famous people named Mercy

    4 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Mercy Otis Warren
      American writer, 1728–1814
    • Mercy Akide
      Association football player, born 1975
    • Mercy Brown
      American woman whose body was exhumed as part of the New England vampire panic, 1872–1892
    • Lavinia Warren
      American circus performer (1841–1919)

    Questions

    What does the name Mercy mean?
    From mercy in the 17th century; one of the less common Puritan virtue names. In modern use sometimes used to anglicize Spanish Mercedes.
    How popular is the name Mercy?
    In 2025, 27 girls born in England and Wales were named Mercy, ranking 1,197th. Its peak was 2010, with 44 births.
    What are nicknames for Mercy?
    Common nicknames for Mercy include Merry.
    Is Mercy a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 98% of the 10,864 US babies named Mercy since 1880 were girls.
    When was Mercy most popular?
    2019 in the United States, when 441 babies were named Mercy, its highest rank at 661st.
    Is Mercy also a surname?
    Yes. Mercy is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.