How Many People Are Named Meryl?
Complete statistics for the name Meryl: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Meryl, a very rare female name, is held by just 1 in 85,336 Americans today, making it truly unique. With around 3,867 people named Meryl living in the US, this name has a rich history dating back to its peak in 1956.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Traditionally, life-path number 1 represents leadership and independence.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 65All 5,585 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: 1956Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Slowly rising
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Meryl Through the Generations
Meryl has been a name that's slowly risen through the decades, peaking in popularity in 1956 with 156 births. Today, the majority of those named Meryl are over 60, with 65% falling into this age bracket. This skews the average age to 65, indicating a strong connection to older generations. The age distribution shows 643 under-30, 1,284 aged 30-60, and 3,658 over 60, painting a picture of a classic, old-school name that's gaining traction again.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Meryl's modern American coinage roots
📄 About the Name Meryl
How Many People Have the Name Meryl?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 3,867 people in the United States currently share the name Meryl. That works out to roughly 1 in every 85,336 Americans, placing it in the Very Rare category.
Is Meryl a Common or Rare Name?
Meryl 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 Meryl Mean?
Meryl means "creative variant of Meryll" and comes from modern American coinage origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 1.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Meryl in SSA data, approximately 2% are male and 98% are female.
When Was Meryl Most Popular?
The name Meryl reached peak popularity in 1956, with 156 babies registered that year. Current trend: Slowly 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 Meryl?
Approximately 3,867 people named Meryl live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 5,585. That works out to roughly 1 in 85,336 Americans.
Is Meryl a rare name?
Meryl is classified as Very Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 85,336 Americans has this name.
What does the name Meryl mean?
Meryl means "creative variant of Meryll" and comes from modern American coinage origins.
Is Meryl more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 2% of people named Meryl are male and 98% are female.
When was Meryl most popular?
Meryl peaked in 1956 with 156 births that year. Current trend: Slowly 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.