Merrillyn
A feminine name of uncertain origin, potentially related to "merry".
Name Census estimates that about 26 living Americans carry the first name Merrillyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Merrillyn today is around 83 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Merrillyn births was 1938 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Merrillyn. 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 Merrillyn is about 83 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Merrillyns were born before 1953.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Merrillyn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
26
~ 1 in 13,182,859 Americans
Peak year
1938
10 babies that year
Average age
83
years old
1949 SSA rank
#5,780
Tracked since 1930
Popularity
Merrillyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Merrillyn from the 1930s through to the 1940s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 39 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
Merrillyn 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 Merrillyn 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 Merrillyn
The name Merrillyn is an English given name that originated in the late 19th century. It is a feminine form of the name Merrill, which is derived from the Old French word "merle," meaning a blackbird. The suffix "-lyn" was added to create a more feminine variation of the name.
In its earliest recorded usage, Merrillyn was often spelled as "Merrilyn" or "Merilyn." The name gained popularity in the early 20th century, particularly in the United States and parts of the United Kingdom. It was often associated with a sense of charm and grace.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name Merrillyn was Merrillyn Inez Jones (1898-1978), an American actress and singer who performed on the vaudeville circuit in the 1920s. She was known for her roles in several Broadway productions and Hollywood films.
Another notable figure with the name Merrillyn was Merrillyn Gover (1915-1997), a Canadian artist and sculptor. She was renowned for her abstract sculptures and was a pioneer in the Canadian modern art movement. Her works are displayed in several galleries and museums across Canada.
In the literary world, Merrillyn Harmon (1925-2003) was an American author and journalist. She wrote several novels, including "The Honey Tree" and "The Straw Wind," which explored themes of family, relationships, and personal growth.
Merrillyn J. Woodrow (1929-2012) was an American politician who served as the first female Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas from 1975 to 1977. She was a prominent figure in the Democratic Party and a vocal advocate for women's rights and equal representation in politics.
In the field of education, Merrillyn J. Hewson (1940-2018) was an American academic and administrator. She served as the President of Juniata College in Pennsylvania from 1989 to 2003, and was instrumental in the college's growth and development during her tenure.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Merrillyn throughout history. While the name has its roots in the English language, it has been embraced by various cultures and communities around the world, each adding their unique perspectives and interpretations to its meaning and significance.
People
Merrillyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Merrillyn 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
Merrillyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Merrillyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 26 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Merrillyn 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 13,182,859 US residents.
Is Merrillyn a common name?
We classify Merrillyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 44.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 77 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Merrillyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Merrillyn was 1938, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Merrillyn is about 83 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Merrillyn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Merrillyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Merrillyn 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.
Is Merrillyn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Merrillyn in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Merrillyn can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Merrillyn as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.