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Home › Baby Names Directory › Meris

Meris

♀ Girl

Pronounced MER-iss /ˈmɛr.ɪs/Medium

Meaning: Meris is a rare, spare name best read as a clipped form of Maris, 'of the sea,' or as a name touching the Latin roots merus, 'pure,' and meritum, 'merit.' Because so few records carry it, its precise route is uncertain, which we note.Low

In 30 seconds: Meris is a rare two-beat name, likely tied to Maris ('of the sea') or Latin roots for 'pure' and 'merit' (said MER-iss). Its route is uncertain.
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Origin LowLatin, American
MeaningMeris is a rare, spare name best read as a clipped form of Maris, 'of the sea,' or as a name touching the Latin roots merus, 'pure,' and meritum, 'merit.' Because so few records carry it, its precise route is uncertain, which we note.
U.S. rank (2018)#17336 ↗ Rising
2018 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1935
Total births (all-time)≈ 75

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 193519352018

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Meris is a spare, uncommon name whose likeliest anchor is Maris, 'of the sea,' though it also brushes the Latin merus, 'pure,' and meritum, 'merit.' It appears thinly in American records from the mid-nineteen-thirties onward without ever gathering momentum, and its route stays uncertain.

It was never common, hovering near only about fifteen girls a year at its scattered peak and never climbing higher. Its long, faint presence makes it feel timeless rather than dated.

Did you know? Meris turns up as far back as the nineteen-thirties yet never caught on, making it one of those quiet names that lingered at the edge of the records for decades.
Overall data confidence 30%
References - Meris — Likely short form of Maris; Latin merus/meritum touched; route uncertain, flagged.

Variations

MarisMerrisMerissMarris

Nicknames

MeriMissyMer

Famous Bearers

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If you like Meris…

Maris— the 'of the sea' name Meris most likely shortens
Meredith— shares the crisp Mer- opening
Marisol— another sea-tinged Mar- name
Amaris— a close rhyming cousin in sound

Explore names like Meris

By themeuncertainvintageshortlatin-root

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Meris mean?

It most likely shortens Maris, 'of the sea,' and also brushes Latin roots for 'pure' and 'merit'; the exact route is uncertain.

How do you pronounce Meris?

It is said MER-iss /ˈmɛr.ɪs/ - two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Meris a boy or girl name?

Here Meris is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Meris?

It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen girls a year even at its scattered peak in the twentieth century.

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