Merredith
A feminine name of Celtic origin meaning "sea blossom" or "keeper of the sea".
Name Census estimates that about 45 living Americans carry the first name Merredith. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Merredith today is around 50 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Merredith births was 1975 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Merredith. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Merredith. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
45
~ 1 in 7,616,763 Americans
Peak year
1975
9 babies that year
Average age
50
years old
1982 SSA rank
#11,633
Tracked since 1957
Popularity
Merredith: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Merredith from the 1950s through to the 1980s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 21 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Merredith 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 Merredith 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 Merredith
The name Merredith is believed to have originated from the Old English words "mære" meaning "famous" and "ræd" meaning "counsel" or "advice." This suggests that the name may have been associated with someone who was renowned for their wisdom or guidance in ancient times.
The earliest known use of the name Merredith dates back to the 11th century in Anglo-Saxon England. It was primarily used as a masculine name during this period, though it later transitioned to become more commonly used as a feminine name.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Merredith was Merredith ap Bleddyn, a Welsh prince who lived in the late 11th century. He was known for his military prowess and participated in several conflicts against the Norman invaders of Wales.
Another notable figure with the name Merredith was Sir Merredith Hanmer, an English politician and soldier who lived during the 16th century (c. 1543-1604). He served as a member of Parliament and played a role in the military campaigns against the Spanish Armada in 1588.
In the 17th century, there was a Merredith Lloyd (c. 1620-1690), a Welsh clergyman and academic who served as the principal of Jesus College, Oxford, and was known for his scholarly contributions in theology and philosophy.
Moving into the 18th century, Merredith Wyndham Wyndham-Quin (1720-1794) was an Irish politician and landowner who served as the Earl of Dunraven and held various political offices in Ireland.
In more recent times, Merredith Kaye (1908-2004) was an American actor and singer who appeared in numerous Broadway productions and films throughout the 20th century, gaining recognition for her performances in musicals and comedies.
While the name Merredith has had a long history, it has remained relatively uncommon compared to other names, particularly in recent decades. However, its unique origins and connection to wisdom and counsel have given it a distinctive character throughout its usage over the centuries.
People
Merredith + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Merredith 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
Merredith: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Merredith?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 45 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Merredith 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 7,616,763 US residents.
Is Merredith a common name?
We classify Merredith as "Very Rare". It ranks above 52.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 50 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Merredith most popular?
The single biggest year for Merredith was 1975, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Merredith is about 50 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Merredith a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Merredith 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.