Merlon
From the medieval Italian word "merlo" meaning a castle wall with battlements.
Name Census estimates that about 56 living Americans carry the first name Merlon. It is a predominantly male name (97.2% of registrations). The average person named Merlon today is around 74 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Merlon births was 1930 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Merlon. 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 Merlon is about 74 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Merlons were born before 1962.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Merlon. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
56
~ 1 in 6,120,613 Americans
Peak year
1930
12 babies that year
Average age
74
years old
1973 SSA rank
#5,031
Tracked since 1917
Gender
Gender distribution for Merlon
Merlon leans heavily male at 97.2% of total registrations, but 5 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Merlon as a male name
- Ranked #5,609 in 1973
- 5 male births in 1973
- Peak: 1922 (10 births)
Merlon as a female name
- Ranked #5,031 in 1930
- 5 female births in 1930
- Peak: 1930 (5 births)
Popularity
Merlon: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Merlon from the 1910s through to the 1970s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 61 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Merlon 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 Merlon during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Merlon
The name Merlon is believed to have originated from the Old French word "merlon," which referred to a solid, upright portion of a battlement or fortified wall. This connection suggests that the name may have its roots in medieval France or regions influenced by French culture during that era.
Merlon's linguistic ties to architectural elements of defense and fortification could imply that the name was initially associated with military prowess, strength, or a defensive nature. It may have been used to convey qualities like resilience, protection, or an unyielding spirit.
While no definitive records exist of the name's earliest documented use, some scholars speculate that Merlon may have been adopted as a given name during the Crusades or other conflicts involving French knights and soldiers. The name's potential to symbolize fortitude and perseverance may have resonated with warriors of that time.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Merlon was Sir Merlon de Montfort, a French knight who fought alongside King Richard I during the Third Crusade in the late 12th century. Another notable figure was Merlon de Beauvais, a renowned architect and mason who oversaw the construction of several castles and fortresses in northern France during the 13th century.
In the realm of literature, the name Merlon appears in the epic poem "Le Roman de la Rose" by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun, written in the 13th century. The character Merlon is portrayed as a skilled archer and defender of a besieged castle, further reinforcing the name's associations with fortitude and protection.
During the Renaissance period, a notable bearer of the name was Merlon Durand, a French painter and sculptor active in the 15th century. His works, which often depicted scenes from medieval history and legends, may have contributed to the perpetuation of the name's connection to chivalric ideals.
In more recent centuries, individuals named Merlon have continued to make their mark in various fields. For instance, Merlon Timberlake (1860-1938) was a renowned American architect known for his work on several iconic buildings in New York City, including the Flatiron Building and the American Museum of Natural History.
While the name Merlon has waned in popularity over time, its rich history and evocative meaning have left an indelible mark on the annals of language and culture, serving as a testament to the enduring power of names to encapsulate the values and aspirations of bygone eras.
People
Merlon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Merlon 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
Merlon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Merlon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 56 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Merlon 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 6,120,613 US residents.
Is Merlon a common name?
We classify Merlon as "Very Rare". It ranks above 56% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 181 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Merlon most popular?
The single biggest year for Merlon was 1930, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Merlon is about 74 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Merlon a male name?
Yes, 97.2% of people registered as Merlon in the SSA data are male. 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.