Holding steady.
Popularity of Merrit since 1912
Babies named Merrit per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1930, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Merrit's real moment was 1913.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0 | 25 |
| 1920s | 0 | 33 |
| 1930s | 0 | 24 |
| 1940s | 0 | 5 |
| 1950s | 0 | 21 |
| 1960s | 25 | 13 |
| 1970s | 12 | 5 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 |
| 1990s | 10 | 7 |
| 2000s | 11 | 11 |
| 2010s | 16 | 28 |
| 2020s | 38 | 11 |
Meaning & origin
Merrit first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1912, and its peak year of usage was 1913, when a small number of children received the name. Since then, it has maintained a stable but very low trajectory, never achieving widespread popularity. The name's standing as a rare unisex choice gives it a distinct, uncommon quality. Its top usage states from the early 20th century include mostly northeastern and midwestern states, though it never concentrated heavily anywhere. Overall, Merrit remains a quiet, infrequent name with historical roots as a variant of Merit.
Merrit is likely a variant of the English surname Merit, which in turn derives from the Old French 'merite' meaning 'reward' or 'deserving'. It emerged as a given name in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, possibly influenced by the virtue name Merit. The name saw modest use in the United States during the 1910s, peaking in 1913, but has since declined to very rare usage.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Merri, Mert
Sibling names for Merrit
Names that share Merrit's style, for a brother or sister.
