Merrilyn
A modern feminine name derived from the combination of "merry" and "lyn".
Name Census estimates that about 324 living Americans carry the first name Merrilyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Merrilyn today is around 75 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Merrilyn births was 1944 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Merrilyn. 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 Merrilyn is about 75 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Merrilyns were born before 1961.
People living today
324
~ 1 in 1,057,884 Americans
Peak year
1944
40 babies that year
Average age
75
years old
1973 SSA rank
#8,058
Tracked since 1923
Popularity
Merrilyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Merrilyn from the 1920s through to the 1970s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 291 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1940s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Merrilyn 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 Merrilyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Merrilyns live
Origin
Meaning and history of Merrilyn
The name Merrilyn is a combination of the English words "merry" and "lyn," which is a common suffix meaning "small lake" or "pool." The name is believed to have originated in English-speaking countries, likely in the 19th or early 20th century, as a feminine variant of the name Merrill.
While the name itself does not have a long historical background, its components have interesting origins. The word "merry" can be traced back to the Old English word "myrige," which meant "pleasant" or "agreeable." It is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "murgijaz," which has roots in the Proto-Indo-European word "mer," meaning "to rejoice" or "to be joyful."
The suffix "lyn" is a common element in English place names and surnames, and it is believed to be derived from the Old English word "lyn," meaning "pool" or "small lake." This suffix is often used in names to convey a sense of connection to nature or a particular geographic location.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Merrilyn can be found in the United States in the early 20th century. Merrilyn Maureen Krieger (1935-2017) was an American actress and singer who appeared in several films and television shows in the 1950s and 1960s.
Another notable person with the name Merrilyn is Merrilyn Gann (born 1937), an American author and illustrator of children's books. She has written and illustrated several popular books, including "Maples in the Mist" and "The Quiet Girl."
Merrilyn Bushman (born 1945) is an American philanthropist and former actress. She is known for her work with various charitable organizations, particularly those focused on education and children's welfare.
In the literary world, Merrilyn Yvonne Fitzhugh (1928-1974) was an American author best known for her novel "Harriet the Spy," which became a classic in children's literature.
Finally, Merrilyn Teneyck (1921-2008) was an American costume designer who worked in both film and television. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for her work on the 1976 film "Voyage of the Damned."
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Merrilyn throughout history, showcasing its use across various fields and time periods.
People
Merrilyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Merrilyn 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
Merrilyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Merrilyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 324 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Merrilyn 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 1,057,884 US residents.
Is Merrilyn a common name?
We classify Merrilyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 751 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Merrilyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Merrilyn was 1944, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Merrilyn is about 75 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Merrilyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Merrilyn 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.