Merrie
A feminine given name derived from the word "merry" meaning happy or cheerful.
Name Census estimates that about 1,682 living Americans carry the first name Merrie. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Merrie today is around 65 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Merrie births was 1959 (117 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Merrie. 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
1.7K
~ 1 in 203,778 Americans
Peak year
1959
117 babies that year
Average age
65
years old
2004 SSA rank
#17,897
Tracked since 1909
Popularity
Merrie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Merrie from the 1900s through to the 2000s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 875 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Merrie 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 Merrie during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Merries live
The SSA's state-level files cover 16 states and territories. California, Michigan, New York recorded the most babies named Merrie, while Missouri, Indiana, Kansas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 47 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Merrie
The given name Merrie originated from the Old English word "myrige," which means "cheerful" or "pleasant." This name has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon culture of England, dating back to the 5th century AD. Initially, it was used as a descriptive name to refer to someone with a happy or joyful disposition.
In medieval times, the name Merrie was relatively common among the English peasantry and lower classes. It was often spelled with variations such as "Merie," "Merye," or "Myrrie." The name's popularity may have been influenced by its association with merriment and festivities, which were an essential part of the cultural fabric during that era.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Merrie can be found in the "Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chaucer, written in the late 14th century. In the prologue, Chaucer introduces the character of the "Wyf of Bathe," whose given name is Alisoun, but she is also referred to as "Merye."
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Merrie. One such person was Merrie Albion (1610-1669), an English author and playwright who wrote under the pen name "Philomusus." Another was Merrie Secrest (1861-1935), an American educator and politician who served as the first female superintendent of public instruction in Washington state.
In the realm of literature, Merrie Shelley (1897-1987) was a British author and poet who published several collections of verse and children's books. Merrie Spaeth (born 1948) is an American public speaker and communications expert who has advised numerous politicians and corporate leaders.
Another notable figure was Merrie Nasr (1932-2016), an Egyptian-American actress and dancer who appeared in various Hollywood films and television shows, including "Diamonds Are Forever" and "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."
While the name Merrie has maintained a presence throughout history, it has become less common in modern times. However, its cheerful and pleasant connotations continue to evoke a sense of joy and merriment, reflecting the enduring spirit of its Anglo-Saxon origins.
People
Merrie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Merrie 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
Merrie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Merrie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,682 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Merrie 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 203,778 US residents.
Is Merrie a common name?
We classify Merrie as "Rare". It ranks above 93% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,632 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Merrie most popular?
The single biggest year for Merrie was 1959, when 117 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Merrie is about 65 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Merrie a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Merrie 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.