Merit
Every Merit since 1918 — 544 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Merit
Merit is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #3,154 in 2025 with 51 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1918, 544 American babies have been named Merit — about 58% girls and 42% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 73 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Merit stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Merit year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 51 | #3,154 | 22 | #4,640 |
| 2024 | 15 | #7,475 | 14 | #6,368 |
| 2023 | 26 | #5,084 | 11 | #7,578 |
| 2022 | 14 | #7,915 | 13 | #6,711 |
| 2021 | 14 | #7,893 | 11 | #7,427 |
| 2020 | 11 | #9,348 | 15 | #5,880 |
| 2019 | 16 | #7,228 | 12 | #7,038 |
| 2018 | 8 | #12,126 | 11 | #7,452 |
| 2017 | 13 | #8,621 | 14 | #6,229 |
| 2016 | 11 | #9,865 | 15 | #5,957 |
| 2015 | 12 | #9,323 | 10 | #7,860 |
| 2014 | 9 | #11,636 | 16 | #5,632 |
| 2013 | 11 | #10,023 | 10 | #7,910 |
| 2012 | 8 | #13,044 | — | — |
| 2011 | 7 | #14,329 | 6 | #11,793 |
| 2010 | 14 | #8,578 | 9 | #8,565 |
| 2009 | — | — | 5 | #13,813 |
| 2008 | 6 | #16,803 | 6 | #12,068 |
| 2007 | 7 | #14,944 | — | — |
| 2006 | 9 | #12,081 | — | — |
| 2005 | 9 | #11,528 | — | — |
| 2004 | 6 | #15,425 | — | — |
| 2003 | 5 | #17,469 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | 5 | #11,495 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | 7 | #6,803 | — | — |
| 1965 | 6 | #6,273 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Merit in 2025?
Merit ranked #3,154 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 51 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Merit?
544 babies have been named Merit in the United States since 1918, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Merit most popular?
Merit peaked in 2025, when 73 newborns received the name.
Is Merit a boy or girl name?
Merit is used for both: about 58% of babies named Merit have been girls and 42% boys.
Is the name Merit rising or falling?
Merit is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.