Meryl Girl

Popularity: #936 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MER-ul //ˈmɛr.əl//

Origin: English; French

Meaning: English: Of the sea; French: A variant of Meryl derived from the name Muriel

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Meryl is believed to be a modern variant of the name Muriel, which has its roots in the Old Irish name Muirgheal, meaning 'sea-bright' or 'bright sea.' The name Muirgheal evolved through various linguistic forms, transitioning into the Latinized form Muriel and later into Middle English. The introduction of the name into English-speaking contexts can be traced back to the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, where it was adopted and adapted into various forms, including Meryl.

Historically, the name Muriel was borne by several notable figures, including Muriel of the House of Stuart, a Scottish noblewoman in the 16th century. The name gained further recognition through its use in literature and the arts, particularly during the 19th and 20th centuries.

The name Meryl itself became more widely recognized in the 20th century, largely due to the prominence of actress Meryl Streep, who has won multiple Academy Awards and is considered one of the greatest actresses of her generation. Her influence has contributed to the cultural resonance of the name, linking it to creativity and artistic achievement.

Culturally, the name Meryl, while not as historically entrenched as some other names, carries connotations of brightness and clarity, reflective of its etymological roots. The name's association with the sea may evoke themes of depth and fluidity, which can resonate with various cultural narratives.

Additionally, diminutive forms like Meri or Mery can be seen as affectionate adaptations, although they are less commonly used in historical contexts. Overall, Meryl's journey from its Irish origins to contemporary usage highlights the dynamic nature of names and their ability to evolve while retaining connections to their linguistic heritage.

Famous people named Meryl

In this section, you will find notable people named Meryl. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Meryl who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Meryl who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Meryl Streep is an actress best known for The Devil Wears Prada, Sophie's Choice, and Kramer vs. Kramer.

Meryl Davis is a figure skater best known for winning a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics and her performances on Dancing with the Stars.

Fictional characters named Meryl

The following list of fictional characters named Meryl is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Meryl is a fictional character from the video game series Final Fantasy. She is a skilled fighter and a member of the resistance against oppressive forces in her world.

Meryl is a fictional character from the anime and manga series Trigun. She is an insurance agent who travels with Vash the Stampede to assess the damage caused by his adventures.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Meryl, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MeredithMarilynMinaMabelMiraMara

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Meryl. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

MarilynMiriamMiraMinaMabelMarleneMaraMarina

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Meryl was first seen in the United States in 1892.

Meryl has ranked as high as #1365 nationally, which occurred in 1956, and has been most popular in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Meryl has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Meryl is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Meryl was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Meryl.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 12 0 12
2024 23 0 23
2023 20 0 20
2022 16 0 16
2021 17 0 17
2020 22 0 22
2019 22 0 22
2018 25 0 25
2017 20 0 20
2016 30 0 30
2015 50 0 50
2014 29 0 29
2013 18 0 18
2012 34 0 34
2011 17 0 17
2010 18 0 18
2009 27 0 27
2008 17 0 17
2007 22 0 22
2006 25 0 25
2005 25 0 25
2004 15 0 15
2003 22 0 22
2002 20 0 20
2001 11 0 11
2000 19 0 19
1999 24 0 24
1998 31 0 31
1997 25 0 25
1996 26 0 26
1995 33 0 33
1994 39 0 39
1993 33 0 33
1992 45 0 45
1991 30 0 30
1990 49 0 49
1989 59 0 59
1988 68 0 68
1987 65 0 65
1986 79 0 79
1985 72 0 72
1984 71 0 71
1983 72 0 72
1982 68 0 68
1981 46 0 46
1980 63 0 63
1979 24 0 24
1978 12 0 12
1977 7 0 7
1976 17 0 17
1975 14 0 14
1974 18 0 18
1973 21 0 21
1972 31 0 31
1971 21 0 21
1970 34 0 34
1969 46 0 46
1968 37 0 37
1967 39 5 34
1966 45 0 45
1965 51 0 51
1964 70 5 65
1963 78 0 78
1962 76 0 76
1961 84 5 79
1960 100 0 100
1959 108 0 108
1958 94 0 94
1957 150 9 141
1956 156 0 156
1955 134 9 125
1954 143 0 143
1953 139 7 132
1952 146 5 141
1951 127 8 119
1950 130 6 124
1949 130 5 125
1948 119 7 112
1947 108 11 97
1946 83 13 70
1945 75 6 69
1944 54 9 45
1943 44 13 31
1942 38 5 33
1941 44 14 30
1940 15 0 15
1939 37 6 31
1938 34 9 25
1937 21 5 16
1936 46 9 37
1935 32 7 25
1934 32 10 22
1933 41 13 28
1932 39 10 29
1931 56 16 40
1930 49 12 37
1929 39 9 30
1928 49 8 41
1927 39 14 25
1926 43 7 36
1925 52 17 35
1924 49 13 36
1923 54 17 37
1922 37 15 22
1921 39 18 21
1920 45 13 32
1919 33 15 18
1918 40 11 29
1917 38 9 29
1916 34 12 22
1915 29 10 19
1914 16 0 16
1913 18 0 18
1912 26 5 21
1911 8 0 8
1910 8 0 8
1909 5 0 5
1908 9 0 9
1906 8 0 8
1905 8 0 8
1903 7 0 7
1902 7 0 7
1901 5 0 5
1898 9 0 9
1897 6 0 6
1896 5 0 5
1893 5 0 5
1892 6 0 6

Top States for Meryl (2015)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 6
50%
MI 6
50%