Holding steady.
Popularity of Merilee since 1929
Babies named Merilee per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1961, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Merilee's real moment was 1942.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1920s | 6 |
| 1930s | 28 |
| 1940s | 252 |
| 1950s | 340 |
| 1960s | 254 |
| 1970s | 169 |
| 1980s | 91 |
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 5 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Merilee first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1929, a classic example of the early-20th-century trend for combining familiar names. Its peak year came in 1942, when it saw its highest recorded usage. Since then, its trajectory has been stable, neither rising nor falling dramatically, but it has never re-entered the top 1,000 names. The name remains a rare choice, appealing to parents who favor vintage yet uncommon blends. Its lack of widely known famous bearers can be seen as a blank canvas for a child. Rooted in the components Mary and Lee, Merilee carries a soft, feminine sound with a hint of pastoral imagery.
Merilee is a modern coined name blending Mary, from the Hebrew name Miriam (of debated meaning, often 'bitter' or 'beloved'), with the suffix Lee, derived from Old English 'leah' meaning 'woodland clearing' or 'meadow.' The combination emerged in the early 20th century as part of a broader trend of compound names, enjoying modest popularity especially in the 1940s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Meri, Lee, Ree
Sibling names for Merilee
Names that share Merilee's style, for a brother or sister.
