Merritt
Merritt is a girl's name of English origin.
Meaning
Boundary gate or pleasant parish.
Origin and history
Merritt is a surname of Old English origin, derived from place names meaning boundary gate or pleasant parish. Historically used primarily as a masculine name, it has seen increasing use for girls in the United States in recent years. Its modern usage reflects a broader trend of utilizing crisp, tailored occupational and surname choices for girls.
Popularity in the United States
3,231 babies in the United States have been named Merritt since 1880. It ranks #3128 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1149.
States where it is most popular
- TX (18.3 %)
- NC (15.1 %)
- GA (11.5 %)
- TN (8 %)
- AL (6.6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 5 |
| 1920-1930 | 0 |
| 1930-1940 | 0 |
| 1940-1950 | 0 |
| 1950-1960 | 11 |
| 1960-1970 | 187 |
| 1970-1980 | 212 |
| 1980-1990 | 184 |
| 1990-2000 | 248 |
| 2000-2010 | 339 |
| 2010-2019 | 944 |
| 2020-2029 | 1,101 |
Famous people named Merritt
- Merritt Wever: Actress
- Merritt Mathias: Athlete, Soccer Player
- Merritt Patterson: Actress
Fun facts
- The name stems from Old English roots such as 'mǣre' (boundary) and 'geat' (gate), or 'myrige' (pleasant) and 'hyfe' (landing place).
- While historically more common as a male given name or surname, more than a third of all U.S. female births with this name occurred between 2020 and 2025.