Merriam
Every Merriam since 1912 — 351 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Merriam
Merriam is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #16,476 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1912, 351 American babies have been named Merriam. Its peak came in 1922, when 16 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Merriam stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Merriam year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | #16,476 |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | 6 | #15,041 |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | 6 | #16,472 |
| 2005 | 5 | #18,268 |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,639 |
| 1950 | 5 | #5,849 |
| 1945 | 5 | #5,027 |
| 1940 | 8 | #3,419 |
| 1935 | 6 | #4,076 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | 9 | #3,568 |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,509 |
| 1915 | 8 | #3,330 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Merriam in 2025?
Merriam ranked #16,476 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Merriam?
351 babies have been named Merriam in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Merriam most popular?
Merriam peaked in 1922, when 16 newborns received the name.
Is Merriam a boy or girl name?
Merriam is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Merriam rising or falling?
Merriam is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.