How Many People Are Named Merit?
Complete statistics for the name Merit: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Merit means 'praise' and is a very rare female name, with only 1 in 748,581 Americans bearing it. That's just 441 people today, making it a genuinely modern name since 87% are under 30.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Life-path number 11 is often associated with spiritual insight and intuition.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 18All 471 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 2023Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Rising
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Merit Through the Generations
Merit stands out as a name that's gaining traction among younger generations. With its peak year being 2023, when 37 babies were given this name, it's clear that Merit is becoming increasingly popular. The average age of those named Merit is 18, indicating that it's primarily a name chosen by parents for their newborns or young children. Among the 441 people named Merit in the U.S., 409 are under 30, 28 are between 30 and 60, and only 34 are over 60, showing a strong preference for the name among younger parents.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Merit's modern American coinage roots
📄 About the Name Merit
How Many People Have the Name Merit?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 217 people in the United States currently share the name Merit. That works out to roughly 1 in every 1,527,416 Americans, placing it in the Very Rare category.
Is Merit a Common or Rare Name?
Merit is classified as Very Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Merit Mean?
Merit means "praise" and comes from modern American coinage origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 11.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Merit in SSA data, approximately 41% are male and 59% are female.
When Was Merit Most Popular?
The name Merit reached peak popularity in 2023, with 37 babies registered that year. Current trend: Rising.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Merit?
Approximately 217 people named Merit live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 217. That works out to roughly 1 in 1,527,416 Americans.
Is Merit a rare name?
Merit is classified as Very Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 1,527,416 Americans has this name.
What does the name Merit mean?
Merit means "praise" and comes from modern American coinage origins.
Is Merit more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 41% of people named Merit are male and 59% are female.
When was Merit most popular?
Merit peaked in 2023 with 37 births that year. Current trend: Rising.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.