How old is someone named Merle?
The average Merle is 68 years old.
Half of all living Merles are between 60 and 81.
When was Merle popular?
Merle peaked in 1921 and has been given less and less ever since. Only 38 babies got the name in 2025.
Popular names of 1921 · The most popular names of the 1920s →
Show the numbers by decade
| Born in | Babies born | Alive today |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 1,717 | 0 |
| 1910s | 7,465 | 0 |
| 1920s | 11,573 | under 100 |
| 1930s | 8,297 | 1,300 |
| 1940s | 6,341 | 2,900 |
| 1950s | 4,182 | 2,900 |
| 1960s | 1,866 | 1,500 |
| 1970s | 1,023 | 920 |
| 1980s | 559 | 530 |
| 1990s | 315 | 300 |
| 2000s | 224 | 220 |
| 2010s | 180 | 180 |
| 2020s | 182 | 180 |
How many Merles are still alive?
About 11,000 Merles are alive in the US today. That's 24% of the roughly 45,000 babies named Merle since 1880.
Most Merles ever born have died: the name was most popular in 1921, long enough ago that many of those babies are gone.
What generation is the name Merle?
About half of living Merles are Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964.
Is Merle an old name?
Yes. Merle is older than 97 in 100 names on AgeByName.
Is Merle a boy or girl name?
Mostly a boy's name: 71% of living Merles are men, and 29% are women.
The women average 77 and the men 65.
Names the same age as Merle
NAME TWIN
Merle's name twin is Bertha. Of all 3,713 names on AgeByName, Bertha's age curve is the closest match to Merle's: 94% alike.
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Questions about the name Merle
How old is the average Merle?
The average Merle in the US is 68 years old. The median is 73, so half are older and half younger.
How many people are named Merle?
About 11,000 Merles are alive in the US today, out of roughly 45,000 babies given the name since 1880.
When was the name Merle most popular?
In 1921, when about 1,300 baby boys were named Merle.
Is Merle a Boomer name?
Partly. Baby Boomers are the largest group, about 46% of living Merles, but the name spans several generations.
Is Merle a boy or girl name?
Mostly a boy's name: 71% of living Merles are men, and 29% are women. The women average 77 and the men 65.
Estimates from Social Security Administration baby-name records (births 1880–2025) and SSA cohort life tables (2026 Trustees Report). Updated each spring. How we calculate this