Merlin

Given to 15,968 US babies since 1885

▲ Rising +24% vs. 2018–2020

Rank in 2025

#7491

recorded as girls

#2332

recorded as boys

Babies in 2025

girls 14 · boys 59

Peak year

1931

363 babies recorded as boys

All-time total

15,968

since 1885

Born a Merlin? See how many share your birth year.

Any year from 1880 to 2025.

Babies per 1,000 (same sex), 1880–2025

Recorded as girls Recorded as boys

Merlin was most popular in 1931, when 363 babies recorded as boys got the name (0.35 per 1,000). In 2025, 59 babies were named Merlin, ranking #2332 for babies recorded as boys. Compared with 2018–2020, it's up 24%.

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Show every year

Year	Girls	Rank	Boys	Rank
2025	14	7491	59	2332
2024	13	7967	73	2057
2023	13	8055	62	2277
2022	11	9056	49	2675
2021	12	8464	70	2079
2020	17	6629	52	2467
2019	10	9736	53	2491
2018	12	8617	57	2325
2017	14	7840	54	2388
2016	11	9411	40	2935
2015	12	8931	35	3231
2014	12	8966	34	3234
2013	8	11969	37	2998
2012	15	7804	39	2954
2011	12	9150	31	3434
2010	15	7880	24	4099
2009	17	7341	40	2946
2008	26	5434	40	2946
2007	25	5526	43	2765
2006	22	5906	49	2477
2005	18	6528	37	2846
2004	12	8716	46	2419
2003	30	4307	44	2392
2002	15	7045	43	2372
2001	14	7317	54	1982
2000	12	8027	47	2136
1999	5	14411	49	1966
1998	10	8584	45	2068
1997	7	10836	30	2613
1996	14	6392	39	2145
1995	19	5019	40	2055
1994	18	5249	28	2618
1993	6	11780	41	1969
1992	19	5051	33	2253
1991	11	7430	42	1867
1990	10	7880	44	1780
1989	8	8761	27	2416
1988	<5	—	49	1514
1987	6	9825	39	1709
1986	<5	—	34	1791
1985	<5	—	44	1504
1984	<5	—	39	1556
1983	7	8047	40	1516
1982	5	10517	45	1415
1981	<5	—	42	1479
1980	6	9095	48	1357
1979	<5	—	45	1390
1978	<5	—	48	1299
1977	<5	—	48	1289
1976	<5	—	53	1179
1975	<5	—	48	1228
1974	<5	—	57	1091
1973	5	8423	50	1163
1972	6	7292	71	960
1971	<5	—	65	1007
1970	<5	—	48	1192
1969	<5	—	74	885
1968	<5	—	65	893
1967	<5	—	73	836
1966	9	4493	87	778
1965	<5	—	81	820
1964	5	6767	95	774
1963	<5	—	108	746
1962	<5	—	96	776
1961	<5	—	110	735
1960	<5	—	105	752
1959	<5	—	130	669
1958	5	6103	156	615
1957	5	6086	147	634
1956	5	5952	150	622
1955	6	5208	175	555
1954	8	4278	151	600
1953	<5	—	158	567
1952	6	4908	156	559
1951	<5	—	176	514
1950	<5	—	175	506
1949	5	5244	150	544
1948	12	2974	155	532
1947	11	3240	163	529
1946	7	3994	207	442
1945	7	3676	187	437
1944	<5	—	208	419
1943	5	4691	266	375
1942	8	3444	217	418
1941	6	3954	258	364
1940	7	3503	249	364
1939	9	2922	245	358
1938	<5	—	284	331
1937	<5	—	257	339
1936	15	2032	274	329
1935	11	2575	308	310
1934	6	3802	283	323
1933	9	2868	302	307
1932	10	2831	314	309
1931	15	2105	363	291
1930	5	4550	333	311
1929	12	2587	328	305
1928	7	3743	307	320
1927	16	2256	389	287
1926	14	2474	368	296
1925	16	2283	343	307
1924	10	3144	337	312
1923	10	3125	266	365
1922	10	3152	328	316
1921	11	2941	342	315
1920	7	3957	314	327
1919	8	3452	251	365
1918	12	2674	268	355
1917	12	2552	230	368
1916	11	2658	220	369
1915	<5	—	179	402
1914	<5	—	127	425
1913	<5	—	85	465
1912	6	2634	76	450
1911	<5	—	33	514
1910	<5	—	23	598
1909	<5	—	20	590
1908	<5	—	30	438
1907	<5	—	21	511
1906	<5	—	12	709
1905	<5	—	10	786
1904	<5	—	14	612
1903	<5	—	9	783
1902	<5	—	14	583
1901	6	1466	7	858
1900	<5	—	8	968
1899	<5	—	8	786
1898	<5	—	7	885
1897	<5	—	<5	—
1896	<5	—	6	982
1895	<5	—	10	685
1894	<5	—	<5	—
1893	<5	—	<5	—
1892	<5	—	<5	—
1891	<5	—	6	841
1890	<5	—	5	994
1889	<5	—	<5	—
1888	<5	—	<5	—
1887	<5	—	8	679
1886	<5	—	<5	—
1885	<5	—	6	836

Free printables

Tracing sheet (PDF) Desk name tag (PDF) Cubby labels (PDF)

See all Merlin printables →

Other spellings

Merlyn · 5,045 Merlene · 2,379 Merilyn · 2,317 Merline · 1,079 Merrilyn · 751 Merelyn · 324 Merlon · 181 Merleen · 113

Names like Merlin

Names whose popularity rose and fell over the same years.

Eldon60 in 2025 Lavern26 in 2025 Eugene249 in 2025 Norman169 in 2025 Delmar15 in 2025 Delbert12 in 2025

Recorded as girls 6% · boys 94% across all years