Holding steady.
Popularity of Merrilyn since 1923
Babies named Merrilyn per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1920s | 92 |
| 1930s | 146 |
| 1940s | 291 |
| 1950s | 138 |
| 1960s | 57 |
| 1970s | 27 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Merrilyn is a mid-20th century invention, first recorded in 1923. It combines the joyful word 'merry' with the fashionable -lyn suffix, a pattern seen in names like Marilyn and Evelyn. The name reached its peak popularity in 1944 and has since become extremely rare, never charting in the top 1000. Its trajectory since the 1940s has been stable at very low usage. Merrilyn evokes a cheerful, feminine image from a bygone era. While never common, it has remained in occasional use, reflecting a style of name blending that was popular several decades ago.
Merrilyn is a 20th-century coinage, blending the name Merry (from the English word meaning 'joyful') with the common suffix -lyn (from names like Lynn or Linda). It first appeared in the United States around 1923 and saw modest use in the mid-20th century, peaking in the 1940s. The name does not have ancient roots but reflects a fashionable trend of combining cheerful elements.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Merri, Lyn, Merry
Sibling names for Merrilyn
Names that share Merrilyn's style, for a brother or sister.
