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Mearl
How to Pronounce Mearl
Pronounced MURL /หmษrl/Medium
Meaning: Mearl is a spelling variant of Merle, from the French merle, 'blackbird' (Latin merula). The added a reflects the way many Americans said the name and may nod to the word pearl, but the root meaning stays 'blackbird.'Low
Popularity in the U.S. ยท SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880โpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Mearl is a respelling of Merle, whose root is the French merle, 'blackbird.' It appears in United States records from the early eighteen-nineties and peaks around 1915, when Merle was used for girls and boys alike and folk spellings reached the registry. The a-form reads as a phonetic, homespun version. It was never common, given to only a couple dozen girls a year.
Last recorded in the mid nineteen-fifties, Mearl reads as a great-grandmother-era name and has not revived, though Merle carries a quiet vintage charm. Its single, ringing syllable pairs it with Merle, Meryl and Pearl for a parent after a short, unusual name with a birdsong meaning.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Mearl mean?
It is a variant of Merle, from the French merle, meaning 'blackbird.'
How do you pronounce Mearl?
It's said MURL /หmษrl/, one syllable.
Is Mearl a boy or girl name?
Mearl is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Mearl?
It was always rare, given to only a couple dozen girls a year around the nineteen-tens and twenties.