Meredith
Meredith is a boy's name of Welsh origin.
Meaning
Great lord or sea lord.
Origin and history
Meredith originated as a Welsh masculine given name derived from elements meaning great or lord. Historically used for males, it shifted predominantly to female usage in the United States during the mid-20th century. Male usage of the name in the U.S. has become extremely rare in recent decades.
Popularity in the United States
4,257 babies in the United States have been named Meredith since 1880. It ranks #1915 all-time.
States where it is most popular
- IN (27.3 %)
- VA (19.6 %)
- PA (11.1 %)
- OH (8.7 %)
- IL (6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 5 |
| 1890-1900 | 28 |
| 1900-1910 | 96 |
| 1910-1920 | 559 |
| 1920-1930 | 827 |
| 1930-1940 | 613 |
| 1940-1950 | 788 |
| 1950-1960 | 508 |
| 1960-1970 | 306 |
| 1970-1980 | 255 |
| 1980-1990 | 188 |
| 1990-2000 | 64 |
| 2000-2010 | 15 |
| 2010-2019 | 5 |
| 2020-2029 | 0 |
Famous people named Meredith
- Meredith Willson: Composer, Playwright
Nicknames
Mer, Merry
Fun facts
- Meredith was traditionally a male name in Wales for centuries before gaining popularity for girls in English-speaking countries.
- While once given to boys in the early U.S. records, Meredith became overwhelmingly used for females starting in the mid-1900s.