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Merline
How to Pronounce Merline
Pronounced mur-LEEN /mərˈlin/Medium
Meaning: Merline is a feminine -line name built from Merle (French 'merle', 'blackbird') or read as a variant of Marlene. It served as a Southern American girls' name in the early-to-mid 1900s.Low
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
Merline adds the graceful -line ending to Merle, from French merle, 'blackbird', and also overlaps with Marlene. The result is a soft, songlike name that suited the early-1900s taste for -line and -lene endings.
It was most common in the South, peaking around 1924 and thinning after mid-century. A woman named Merline would be of a grandparent-or-older generation, and the name keeps the gentle 'blackbird' image of Merle at its core.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Merline mean?
Merline is a feminine name from Merle, meaning 'blackbird', or a variant of Marlene.
How do you pronounce Merline?
It's said mur-LEEN /mərˈlin/ — two syllables, stress on the second.
Is Merline a boy or girl name?
Merline is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Merline?
Merline was always uncommon in the U.S., a vintage -line name tied to Merle.