Merryn
Of Celtic origin meaning "shining one" or "bright hill".
Name Census estimates that about 297 living Americans carry the first name Merryn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Merryn today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Merryn births was 2020 (30 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Merryn. 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
297
~ 1 in 1,154,055 Americans
Peak year
2020
30 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,448
Tracked since 2003
Popularity
Merryn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Merryn from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 153 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Merryn remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Merryn 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 Merryn 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 Merryn
The name Merryn is an English given name derived from the Old English word "myrge," meaning "pleasant" or "joyful." It is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 10th or 11th century, and was particularly popular among the Anglo-Saxon population of Britain.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Merryn can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appeared as "Merryn the Thatcher," indicating that it was in use as a personal name during the late 11th century.
In the 12th century, a monk named Merryn of Shrewsbury is mentioned in the chronicles of the Benedictine abbey at Shrewsbury. He is said to have been a renowned scholar and translator of Latin texts. His work helped preserve and disseminate knowledge during the Middle Ages.
During the 13th century, a woman named Merryn de Beaumont was a prominent figure in the court of King Edward I. She served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Eleanor of Castile and was known for her charity work and patronage of the arts.
In the 15th century, a Welsh poet named Merryn ap Rhys gained recognition for his contributions to the tradition of Welsh poetry. His works were widely circulated and celebrated for their lyrical beauty and insightful commentary on contemporary events.
Another notable figure with the name Merryn was Merryn Wriothesly, an English courtier and diplomat who lived during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century. He served as an ambassador to several European courts and played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and maintaining diplomatic relations.
While the name Merryn has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has persisted as a unique and meaningful choice for parents seeking a name with deep roots and a pleasant connotation.
People
Merryn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Merryn 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
Merryn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Merryn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 297 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Merryn 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 1,154,055 US residents.
Is Merryn a common name?
We classify Merryn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 299 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Merryn most popular?
The single biggest year for Merryn was 2020, when 30 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Merryn is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Merryn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Merryn 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.