Merla

♀ Girl

Pronounced MUR-luh /ˈmɜr.lə/Medium

Meaning: Merla is a feminine form of Merle, from the French merle, 'blackbird', which comes from the Latin merula. It carries the same songbird image in a soft -a ending.Low

In 30 seconds: Merla is a feminine of Merle, from French for 'blackbird'. A rare vintage name, said MUR-luh.

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Origin LowFrench, Latin

MeaningMerla is a feminine form of Merle, from the French merle, 'blackbird', which comes from the Latin merula. It carries the same songbird image in a soft -a ending.

U.S. rank (1966)#7265 ↘ Falling

1966 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1949

Total births (all-time)≈ 424

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Merla is a feminine form of Merle, from the French merle, 'blackbird', ultimately the Latin merula. Where Merle served boys and girls alike, the added -a gave Merla a distinctly feminine turn, keeping the pleasant songbird meaning of its parent.

It was always rare, given to only about twenty girls a year around its 1949 peak, and it stayed an uncommon choice. A Merla born then is now of grandparent age, and the name reads as a soft vintage nature name rather than a current pick.

Did you know? Merle was used for both sexes in the early twentieth century, and the -a ending on Merla marked it clearly as a girl's name in the blackbird family.

Overall data confidence 35%

References - Merla — Feminine of Merle (French merle, Latin merula, 'blackbird')

Variations

MerleMerleneMyrla

Nicknames

Merl

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Merla…

Merle— the root name, 'blackbird'

Myrtle— a like vintage nature name

Verla— another soft -la vintage name

Opal— a similar old-fashioned nature name

Explore names like Merla

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Merla mean?

It is a feminine form of Merle, from the French merle, meaning 'blackbird'.

How do you pronounce Merla?

It is said MUR-luh /ˈmɜr.lə/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Merla a boy or girl name?

Merla is used as a girl's name.

Is Merla a popular name?

No, it was always rare, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak around nineteen-fifty.