Merisa
A feminine name derived from the Spanish María.
Name Census estimates that about 533 living Americans carry the first name Merisa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Merisa today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Merisa births was 1996 (29 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Merisa. 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
533
~ 1 in 643,066 Americans
Peak year
1996
29 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2011 SSA rank
#18,629
Tracked since 1968
Popularity
Merisa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Merisa from the 1960s through to the 2010s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 231 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
Merisa 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 Merisa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Merisas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Merisa
The name Merisa is thought to have its origins in the Greek language, derived from the word "merismo," which means "division" or "partition." This suggests that the name may have been associated with concepts of separation or distinction in ancient Greek culture.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Merisa can be found in the ancient Greek epic poem, the Odyssey, where it is mentioned as the name of a minor character. However, little is known about the historical significance or context of this reference.
In medieval times, the name Merisa gained some popularity in certain regions of Europe, particularly in parts of Italy and France. It is believed that this was due to the influence of Greek culture and literature during the Renaissance period.
One notable historical figure with the name Merisa was Merisa de Montferrat, a 12th-century Italian noblewoman and countess of Montferrat. She played a significant role in the politics and affairs of her time, although records of her life are somewhat limited.
Another historical figure bearing the name Merisa was Merisa Durand, a French writer and philosopher who lived in the 16th century. She is known for her work exploring themes of human nature and morality, although her writings have largely been forgotten over time.
In the realm of mythology, there is a reference to a character named Merisa in ancient Greek legends. She was said to be a nymph associated with the goddess Artemis, though details about her significance are scarce.
It is worth noting that the name Merisa has also been documented in various historical records from different cultures and time periods, albeit with varying spellings and pronunciations. For example, there are records of individuals with similar names like Merisah, Merissa, and Meritza in various parts of Europe and the Middle East throughout history.
People
Merisa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Merisa 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
Merisa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Merisa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 533 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Merisa 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 643,066 US residents.
Is Merisa a common name?
We classify Merisa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 555 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Merisa most popular?
The single biggest year for Merisa was 1996, when 29 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Merisa is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Merisa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Merisa 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.