The first name Merle
A unisex name from French.
1 syllable Unisex Also a surname
Meaning and origin
French origin
Borrowed from French Merle.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 3 girls were named Merle, making it the 5,927th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2002, with 7 births (#2,301).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Merle with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Merle at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 33 boys born in the United States were named Merle, the 3,485th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1925, when 836 were.
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.
More French unisex names
Questions
- What does the name Merle mean?
- Borrowed from French Merle.
- What is the origin of the name Merle?
- Borrowed from French Merle.
- How popular is the name Merle?
- In 2025, 3 girls born in England and Wales were named Merle, ranking 5,927th. Its peak was 2002, with 7 births.
- Is Merle a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 45,389 US babies named Merle since 1880, 32% were girls and 68% boys.
- When was Merle most popular?
- 1925 in the United States, when 836 babies were named Merle, its highest rank at 175th.
- Is Merle also a surname?
- Yes. Merle is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.