Merikay
Feminine name of American origin meaning "America".
Name Census estimates that about 43 living Americans carry the first name Merikay. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Merikay today is around 79 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Merikay births was 1946 (42 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Merikay. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Merikay is about 79 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Merikays were born before 1957.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Merikay. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
43
~ 1 in 7,971,031 Americans
Peak year
1946
42 babies that year
Average age
79
years old
1949 SSA rank
#4,533
Tracked since 1941
Popularity
Merikay: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Merikay 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 Merikay during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 0 | 84 | 84 |
Geography
Where Merikays live
Origin
Meaning and history of Merikay
The given name Merikay has its origins in the Scandinavian languages, specifically Norwegian and Danish. It is a combination of two words, "meri" meaning "sea" and "kay" meaning "key." The name can be traced back to the Viking era, around the 8th to 11th centuries.
During this time period, the Vikings were renowned seafarers who explored and navigated the vast oceans. The name Merikay may have been given to those who possessed exceptional navigational skills or were considered masters of the sea. It is believed that the name was initially used as a descriptor or title before becoming a proper name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Merikay can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of stories and tales from the Viking Age. The Saga of Erik the Red, written around the 13th century, mentions a character named Merikay, who was a skilled navigator and explorer.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Merikay. One of the most famous was Merikay Eriksdottir (1175-1247), a Norwegian explorer and navigator who accompanied her father, Erik the Red, on his expeditions to Greenland and North America. She is credited with playing a crucial role in the discovery and settlement of Vinland (present-day Newfoundland, Canada).
Another notable Merikay was Merikay Thorvaldsdottir (1220-1289), an Icelandic poet and scholar. Her works, which primarily focused on maritime themes and the adventures of the Vikings, have been preserved and studied by scholars for their historical significance and literary merit.
In the 16th century, Merikay Magnusdottir (1528-1603) was a Danish sea captain and trader. She captained her own vessel and was known for her daring voyages and successful trading expeditions across the North Sea and the Baltic regions.
Merikay Halvorsdottir (1678-1745), a Norwegian shipwright and naval architect, left a lasting impact on the maritime industry. She is credited with designing several innovative ship designs that revolutionized naval construction techniques and improved the performance and seaworthiness of vessels.
The name Merikay has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, but its unique combination of maritime and navigational connotations has ensured its enduring legacy as a name associated with the sea and the spirit of exploration.
People
Merikay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Merikay 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
Merikay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Merikay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 43 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Merikay 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 7,971,031 US residents.
Is Merikay a common name?
We classify Merikay as "Very Rare". It ranks above 52.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 84 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Merikay most popular?
The single biggest year for Merikay was 1946, when 42 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Merikay is about 79 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Merikay a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Merikay 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.