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Merlie
How to Pronounce Merlie
Pronounced MUR-lee /ΛmΙr.li/Medium
Meaning: Merlie is a variant of Merle, from the French merle - the blackbird, a bird prized for its song. The '-ie' ending gives it a soft, diminutive feel. Used for girls in the early twentieth century, it sits alongside Merle, Merline, and Pearlie.Low
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Merlie is a softened form of Merle, from the French merle, 'blackbird.' It belongs to the early-twentieth-century taste for gentle '-ie' names and rhymes with the Southern favorites Pearlie and Earlie.
It was never common, given to only about fifteen girls a year even at its peak around 1921, and had faded by mid-century. A girl named Merlie then would belong to her great-grandmother's generation.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Merlie mean?
It is a variant of Merle, from the French merle, meaning 'blackbird.'
How do you pronounce Merlie?
It is said MUR-lee /ΛmΙr.li/ - two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Merlie a boy or girl name?
Merlie is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Merlie?
It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen girls a year even at its peak in the nineteen-twenties.