How Many People Are Named Merla?
Complete statistics for the name Merla: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Merla is a very rare female name, with only 195 people bearing it in the US today, making up just 1 in 1,689,847 Americans. The vast majority of those named Merla are over 60, indicating a strong generational skew.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Traditionally, life-path number 22 is associated with leadership and vision, suggesting that people named Merla might be natural leaders with a strong sense of purpose.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 85All 424 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: 1949Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Stable
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Merla Through the Generations
Merla has seen its peak popularity in 1949 with 16 births, but since then, it's remained stable, neither gaining nor losing significant ground. Today, there are 195 individuals named Merla in the United States, with most being over 60 years old. This age distribution suggests that Merla is a name deeply rooted in the past, with a large share of its bearers hailing from the mid-20th century. Its current status as a stable name between classic and modern reflects its enduring appeal among certain circles, despite its rarity.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Merla's modern American coinage roots
📄 About the Name Merla
How Many People Have the Name Merla?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 276 people in the United States currently share the name Merla. That works out to roughly 1 in every 1,200,903 Americans, placing it in the Very Rare category.
Is Merla a Common or Rare Name?
Merla 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 Merla Mean?
Merla means "creative variant of Lara" and comes from modern American coinage origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 22.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Merla in SSA data, approximately 0% are male and 100% are female.
When Was Merla Most Popular?
The name Merla reached peak popularity in 1949, with 16 babies registered that year. Current trend: Stable.
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 Merla?
Approximately 276 people named Merla live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 276. That works out to roughly 1 in 1,200,903 Americans.
Is Merla a rare name?
Merla is classified as Very Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 1,200,903 Americans has this name.
What does the name Merla mean?
Merla means "creative variant of Lara" and comes from modern American coinage origins.
Is Merla more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 0% of people named Merla are male and 100% are female.
When was Merla most popular?
Merla peaked in 1949 with 16 births that year. Current trend: Stable.
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.