Mearle

Meaning & origin

Mearle is a rare given name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1915, at the dawn of a brief period of mild use. Its peak year came early, in 1919, when it saw its highest frequency of occurrence. Despite this initial appearance, Mearle's trajectory has been stable at extremely low usage levels, and it has never been recorded in any of the top state popularity lists. The name is generally considered a spelling variant of the more familiar Merle, which itself derives from the French word for 'blackbird'. Like many soft, single-syllable names from that era, Mearle has a quiet, vintage charm but has not seen a revival in recent decades. As of 2025, the name remains exceedingly rare, carried by only a handful of individuals across the United States.

Mearle appears to be a variant spelling of Merle, which itself derives from the French merle, meaning 'blackbird'. The name was occasionally used in the early 20th century, particularly in the United States, but never achieved widespread popularity. It is often considered a unisex name, though it was more commonly given to males during its peak usage in the 1910s.