Is Merlyn a boy or girl name?
Merlyn was used for both, more often for boys in the US. Across 1880–2024, 32.3% of the 5,030 US babies named Merlyn were girls. Fewer than 10 babies were given the name in 2024.
- Boy rank, 2024
- Not ranked
- Girl rank, 2024
- #16,823
- Babies named Merlyn since 1908
- 5,030
- Most popular year
- 1930
- 159 babies
Boys and girls named Merlyn, by decade
| Decade | Boys | Girls | Share girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| 1910s | 286 | 87 | 23.3% |
| 1920s | 812 | 294 | 26.6% |
| 1930s | 1,095 | 297 | 21.3% |
| 1940s | 597 | 235 | 28.2% |
| 1950s | 301 | 139 | 31.6% |
| 1960s | 128 | 66 | 34% |
| 1970s | 48 | 33 | 40.7% |
| 1980s | 23 | 58 | 71.6% |
| 1990s | 32 | 113 | 77.9% |
| 2000s | 25 | 156 | 86.2% |
| 2010s | 34 | 100 | 74.6% |
| 2020s | 18 | 48 | 72.7% |
Every year
| Year | Boys | Boy rank | Girls | Girl rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | – | 5 | #16,823 |
| 2023 | 0 | – | 11 | #9,399 |
| 2022 | 7 | #10,493 | 11 | #9,445 |
| 2021 | 6 | #11,666 | 10 | #10,066 |
| 2020 | 5 | #13,390 | 11 | #9,346 |
| 2019 | 6 | #11,665 | 10 | #10,239 |
| 2018 | 0 | – | 9 | #11,151 |
| 2017 | 6 | #11,707 | 9 | #11,311 |
| 2016 | 6 | #11,662 | 8 | #12,510 |
| 2015 | 0 | – | 12 | #9,321 |
| 2014 | 5 | #13,376 | 9 | #11,632 |
| 2013 | 6 | #11,691 | 5 | #18,376 |
| 2012 | 5 | #13,553 | 8 | #13,045 |
| 2011 | 0 | – | 15 | #8,070 |
| 2010 | 0 | – | 15 | #8,169 |
| 2009 | 8 | #9,580 | 16 | #7,950 |
| 2008 | 0 | – | 23 | #6,073 |
| 2007 | 0 | – | 18 | #7,309 |
| 2006 | 0 | – | 15 | #8,116 |
| 2005 | 0 | – | 16 | #7,382 |
| 2004 | 7 | #9,607 | 16 | #7,284 |
| 2003 | 0 | – | 19 | #6,231 |
| 2002 | 0 | – | 10 | #9,998 |
| 2001 | 0 | – | 10 | #9,855 |
| 2000 | 10 | #6,671 | 13 | #7,878 |
| 1999 | 9 | #6,913 | 10 | #9,255 |
| 1998 | 0 | – | 17 | #5,984 |
| 1997 | 5 | #10,266 | 14 | #6,708 |
| 1996 | 0 | – | 6 | #12,896 |
| 1995 | 0 | – | 12 | #7,367 |
| 1994 | 0 | – | 14 | #6,542 |
| 1993 | 6 | #8,330 | 14 | #6,496 |
| 1992 | 0 | – | 12 | #7,351 |
| 1991 | 7 | #7,022 | 7 | #11,060 |
| 1990 | 5 | #9,038 | 7 | #10,966 |
| 1989 | 0 | – | 9 | #8,496 |
| 1988 | 5 | #8,099 | 13 | #6,142 |
| 1987 | 6 | #6,667 | 5 | #12,537 |
| 1986 | 0 | – | 6 | #10,402 |
| 1985 | 0 | – | 8 | #8,037 |
| 1984 | 0 | – | 9 | #7,189 |
| 1983 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1982 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1981 | 0 | – | 8 | #7,874 |
| 1980 | 12 | #3,546 | 0 | – |
| 1979 | 8 | #4,690 | 6 | #9,732 |
| 1978 | 6 | #5,539 | 0 | – |
| 1977 | 5 | #6,501 | 5 | #10,654 |
| 1976 | 0 | – | 5 | #10,285 |
| 1975 | 6 | #5,227 | 0 | – |
| 1974 | 8 | #4,063 | 0 | – |
| 1973 | 0 | – | 6 | #8,057 |
| 1972 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1971 | 7 | #4,231 | 5 | #9,146 |
| 1970 | 8 | #3,726 | 6 | #7,654 |
| 1969 | 12 | #2,638 | 0 | – |
| 1968 | 11 | #2,684 | 7 | #6,030 |
| 1967 | 6 | #3,834 | 5 | #7,489 |
| 1966 | 10 | #2,733 | 5 | #7,266 |
| 1965 | 7 | #3,450 | 8 | #5,142 |
| 1964 | 15 | #2,170 | 5 | #7,454 |
| 1963 | 16 | #2,091 | 8 | #5,160 |
| 1962 | 18 | #1,938 | 10 | #4,445 |
| 1961 | 17 | #2,047 | 7 | #5,668 |
| 1960 | 16 | #2,093 | 11 | #4,086 |
| 1959 | 24 | #1,652 | 11 | #3,962 |
| 1958 | 20 | #1,819 | 11 | #3,866 |
| 1957 | 23 | #1,704 | 17 | #2,897 |
| 1956 | 16 | #2,064 | 9 | #4,364 |
| 1955 | 28 | #1,476 | 17 | #2,799 |
| 1954 | 32 | #1,354 | 17 | #2,763 |
| 1953 | 32 | #1,349 | 14 | #3,049 |
| 1952 | 40 | #1,179 | 13 | #3,141 |
| 1951 | 44 | #1,091 | 15 | #2,772 |
| 1950 | 42 | #1,099 | 15 | #2,740 |
| 1949 | 37 | #1,176 | 22 | #2,113 |
| 1948 | 48 | #1,017 | 21 | #2,166 |
| 1947 | 38 | #1,184 | 23 | #2,074 |
| 1946 | 46 | #1,008 | 17 | #2,371 |
| 1945 | 57 | #835 | 23 | #1,781 |
| 1944 | 57 | #838 | 27 | #1,594 |
| 1943 | 70 | #784 | 25 | #1,741 |
| 1942 | 75 | #744 | 27 | #1,617 |
| 1941 | 80 | #688 | 25 | #1,594 |
| 1940 | 89 | #634 | 25 | #1,574 |
| 1939 | 81 | #662 | 29 | #1,394 |
| 1938 | 110 | #558 | 23 | #1,629 |
| 1937 | 103 | #569 | 29 | #1,380 |
| 1936 | 103 | #569 | 38 | #1,160 |
| 1935 | 105 | #564 | 36 | #1,193 |
| 1934 | 114 | #553 | 33 | #1,253 |
| 1933 | 105 | #561 | 33 | #1,256 |
| 1932 | 109 | #569 | 28 | #1,444 |
| 1931 | 128 | #509 | 26 | #1,487 |
| 1930 | 137 | #510 | 22 | #1,737 |
| 1929 | 93 | #637 | 25 | #1,586 |
| 1928 | 97 | #626 | 35 | #1,305 |
| 1927 | 114 | #580 | 40 | #1,250 |
| 1926 | 87 | #682 | 31 | #1,474 |
| 1925 | 79 | #735 | 41 | #1,219 |
| 1924 | 73 | #791 | 25 | #1,750 |
| 1923 | 74 | #766 | 36 | #1,320 |
| 1922 | 72 | #793 | 21 | #1,942 |
| 1921 | 57 | #934 | 25 | #1,755 |
| 1920 | 66 | #832 | 15 | #2,435 |
| 1919 | 51 | #946 | 10 | #3,150 |
| 1918 | 53 | #914 | 14 | #2,467 |
| 1917 | 54 | #868 | 10 | #3,007 |
| 1916 | 32 | #1,169 | 15 | #2,200 |
| 1915 | 39 | #1,031 | 14 | #2,213 |
| 1914 | 20 | #1,377 | 9 | #2,563 |
| 1913 | 17 | #1,298 | 7 | #2,718 |
| 1912 | 15 | #1,251 | 8 | #2,289 |
| 1911 | 5 | #1,920 | 0 | – |
| 1910 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1909 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1908 | 5 | #1,532 | 0 | – |
Highest rank
As a boy name, Merlyn reached #509 in 1931. As a girl name, it reached #1,160 in 1936. Ranks count every name SSA published for that year and sex, so they go well past the top 1,000.
Names from the same era
These names were also most popular in the 1930s, with a similar number of babies. They can work as sibling or middle names that feel like they belong together.
Names spelled like Merlyn
Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2024. Counts are Social Security card applications for US births; SSA leaves out names given to fewer than 5 babies in a year. Updated 2026-10-05. How these numbers are made.