Mercede
Of Spanish origin, meaning "grace" or "mercy".
Name Census estimates that about 519 living Americans carry the first name Mercede. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Mercede today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mercede births was 1992 (44 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mercede. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
519
~ 1 in 660,413 Americans
Peak year
1992
44 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2014 SSA rank
#18,343
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Mercede: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mercede from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 293 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mercede by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Mercede during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Mercedes live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Ohio, California, Minnesota recorded the most babies named Mercede, while Minnesota, California, Ohio recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 6 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Mercede
The name Mercede is derived from the Spanish and Italian word "merced," which means "mercy" or "grace." It is believed to have its roots in the Latin word "merces," which means "reward" or "payment." The name has been in use since the Middle Ages and is closely associated with the Roman Catholic Church.
In the 13th century, there was a Spanish religious order called the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, also known as the Mercedarians. This order was founded to ransom Christian captives from the Moors during the Reconquista. The name Mercede became popular among Spanish and Italian Catholics, as it was associated with the Virgin Mary's mercy and the work of the Mercedarians.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mercede can be found in the 14th century Spanish literary work "El Conde Lucanor" by Don Juan Manuel. In this work, there is a character named Mercede, which suggests that the name was in use during that time period.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Mercede. One of the earliest was Mercede de Castro (1590-1674), a Spanish nun and mystic who was known for her visions and religious writings.
Another notable Mercede was Mercede Marini (1736-1799), an Italian painter and engraver who was a member of the prestigious Accademia di San Luca in Rome.
In the 19th century, there was Mercede Casati (1805-1879), an Italian composer and musician who was a pioneer in promoting women's education in music.
Mercede Camerlingo (1899-1988) was an Italian actress and singer who appeared in several films and stage productions during the early 20th century.
More recently, there was Mercede Molina (1942-2009), a Mexican-American artist and activist who was known for her vibrant paintings and advocacy for Chicano rights.
While the name Mercede has its origins in the Catholic tradition, it has been embraced by people of various backgrounds and cultures over the centuries. Its association with mercy and grace has made it a popular choice for parents seeking a meaningful and beautiful name for their child.
People
Mercede + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mercede as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Mercede: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mercede?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 519 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mercede going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 660,413 US residents.
Is Mercede a common name?
We classify Mercede as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 535 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mercede most popular?
The single biggest year for Mercede was 1992, when 44 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mercede is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mercede a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mercede in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.