Merle

Merle is a boy's name of English origin meaning “blackbird.” In 2024 it was given to 22 boys in the United States.

Merle at a glance

Gender
Boy name
Origin
English & American
Meaning
“blackbird”

About the name Merle

Merle belongs to the English & American tradition. Its meaning — “blackbird” — is the sense carried by its English roots, and it is the meaning we verified against published sources for this page.

In the United States, Merle first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #170 in 1918, and in 2024 22 babies received the name — 30,630 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Merle in US records

First recorded (US)
1880
Best US rank
#170 in 1918
Peak year
1925
Babies named Merle in 2024
22
Total since 1880
30,630

Similar names

More names from the English & American shelf:

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Merle mean?

Merle means “blackbird” in its English roots. We check every meaning against published sources before it appears here.

Is Merle a boy or girl name?

Merle is a boy name. In 2024, 22 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Merle?

Merle comes from the English & American tradition.

How popular is the name Merle?

Merle first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #170 in 1918, and 22 babies were given the name in 2024.

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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.