Merle
- Pronunciation
- [Merle]
- Gender
- Male
- Meaning
- Blackbird
- Origin
- French
Merle Popularity Snapshot
Across the entire US Social Security Administration record (1880–2024), 30,630 baby boys have been named Merle. The name peaked in 1925 with 836 US births that year (rank #175). In 2024, ranked #4640 nationally — 4,465 places below its 1925 peak.
Top States for Merle
Based on 1910–2024 US SSA state-level records, the three states with the most Merle births are: Pennsylvania (3,711), Iowa (2,488), Illinois (2,084).
Other French-Origin Names Like Merle
If you like Merle's French origin, consider these related names: Abelia, Abella, Acel, Aceline, Adalene. Browse all French names →
5-Letter Names Starting with M
Names with Merle's exact length and starting letter: Mabel, Mable, Mabon, Mabuz, Mabyn.
Quick Facts About Merle
Famous People Named Merle
1 notable figure from history and culture who share the name Merle.
- Merle Haggard — Country Singer (1937)
Looking for names like Merle?
A dedicated page with 60+ related names — spelling variants, rhymes, alliterations, same-origin matches, and shared meaning concepts — lives at its own URL so each kind of similarity gets a deeper treatment than fits here.
Compare Merle to Other Popular Names
Side-by-side popularity charts and crossover years for Merle against today's most popular boys-name peers (top 8 by US births in the last 10 years of SSA records).