girl's name · in the US
Meryl
may-REEL (French)
- Gender Girl (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 9,490
France
#775
2025 births
Meryl is a girl's name in the United States, with 2 syllables. In 2025 it was given to 12 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Peaked in 1956, when 156 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 276,319 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1892.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Meryl Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1890s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 31 |
| 1900s | 49 |
| 1910s | 250 |
| 1920s | 446 |
| 1930s | 387 |
| 1940s | 710 |
| 1950s | 1,327 |
| 1960s | 626 |
| 1970s | 199 |
| 1980s | 663 |
| 1990s | 335 |
| 2000s | 203 |
| 2010s | 263 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 110 |
How Popular Is Meryl?
In 2025, Meryl was given to 12 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Where Meryl 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.
How Meryl Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Méryl | Méryl is Meryl written with an acute accent, used in France, where it ranks #1,290. | 705 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Meryl
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Meryl Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Meryl over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Meryl is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- France Both 89% girls · 940 babies
- United States Girls' 100% girls · 207 babies
How to Say Meryl
- French may-REEL
- English MER-il
Sibling Names for Meryl
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Meryl — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Meryl
How popular is the name Meryl?
In 2025, Meryl was given to 12 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Meryl a girl's or a boy's name?
Meryl is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Meryl?
Meryl has 2 syllables.
When was Meryl most popular?
Meryl peaked in 1956, when 156 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Meryl a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Meryl currently ranks #775 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.