unisex name
Merlyn
MER-lin (English)
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 5,063
Merlyn is a unisex name with 2 syllables. It is given to both girls and boys — about 32% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2025 it was given to 13 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Peaked in 1930, when 159 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 255,037 babies in the United States is given this name.
- Merlyn started out as a boys' name and is now given almost entirely to girls.
- First appears in US birth records in 1908.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Merlyn Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 373 |
| 1920s | 1,106 |
| 1930s | 1,392 |
| 1940s | 832 |
| 1950s | 440 |
| 1960s | 194 |
| 1970s | 81 |
| 1980s | 81 |
| 1990s | 145 |
| 2000s | 181 |
| 2010s | 134 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 81 |
How Popular Is Merlyn?
In 2025, Merlyn was given to 13 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Where Merlyn Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Merlyn
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Merlyn Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Merlyn over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Merlyn
- English MER-lin
Sibling Names for Merlyn
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Merlyn — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Merlyn
How popular is the name Merlyn?
In 2025, Merlyn was given to 13 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Merlyn a girl's or a boy's name?
Merlyn is used for both girls and boys. About 32% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Merlyn?
Merlyn has 2 syllables.
When was Merlyn most popular?
Merlyn peaked in 1930, when 159 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Merlyn a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Merlyn currently ranks #11,253 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.
Was Merlyn originally a boys' or girls' name?
Merlyn was given mostly to boys in the earliest US birth records and is now given almost entirely to girls.