Find out how popular the first name Merica has been for the last 45 years (from 1976 to 2020) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Merica by gender

Based on the last 45 years of data, Merica is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2020, there were 5 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Merica.

The history of the first name Merica

The name Merica is believed to have its origins in the ancient Greek language, deriving from the word "meris," which means "portion" or "part." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with concepts of division, allocation, or sharing.

During the classical era of ancient Greece, the name Merica was occasionally used, although it was not particularly widespread. One of the earliest recorded instances of this name can be found in the writings of the Greek historian Plutarch, who mentioned a woman named Merica in his work "Parallel Lives," written around the 1st century CE.

In the medieval period, the name Merica resurfaced sporadically in various parts of Europe, possibly due to the influence of Greek culture and literature. One notable figure was Merica of Bamberg, a 12th-century German noblewoman and abbess of the Michelsberg Abbey in Bamberg, Germany (born around 1100, died 1160).

As the Renaissance period dawned, the name Merica continued to be used, albeit infrequently. One example is Merica Spagnuola, an Italian painter and illuminator active in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, known for her contributions to the decoration of religious manuscripts and books.

In the 17th century, Merica Valmikan was a celebrated Indian poet and writer who composed works in the Braj Bhasha language. She is considered one of the earliest known female poets in the Braj literary tradition (born around 1620, died circa 1690).

Moving into the 18th century, Merica Eliza Cartwright was a British writer and philosopher who published several works on moral philosophy and education. She was born in 1735 and lived until 1807.

While not an exhaustive list, these examples illustrate the sporadic use of the name Merica throughout various cultures and historical periods, although it has never been among the most popular or widely used names.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Merica was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Merica, please contact us.

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