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Home › Baby Names Directory › Merri

Merri

♀ Girl

Pronounced MAIR-ee /ˈmɛr.i/Medium

Meaning: Merri is a bright spelling of the English word merry ('joyful, cheerful'), and it can also serve as a short form of Meredith (Welsh, roughly 'great lord' or 'sea lord'). The -i ending gave it a peppy mid-century look.Low

In 30 seconds: A cheerful word-name: Merri spells 'merry' with an -i, and can nod to Meredith (said 'MAIR-ee'). It peaked around 1963, then faded.
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Origin LowEnglish, Welsh
MeaningMerri is a bright spelling of the English word merry ('joyful, cheerful'), and it can also serve as a short form of Meredith (Welsh, roughly 'great lord' or 'sea lord'). The -i ending gave it a peppy mid-century look.
U.S. rank (2012)#18652 ↗ Rising
2012 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1963
Total births (all-time)≈ 3,170

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196319202012

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

Merri is a spelling of the cheerful English word merry ('joyful'), also usable as a short form of Meredith (Welsh). Its snappy -i ending fit the early-1960s fashion for names like Terri and Sherri, and it peaked around 1963. The style later cooled (said 'MAIR-ee').

By the 1980s the name had grown rare on birth records. It reads today as a sunny midcentury pick. Joyful, word-based, and uncommon.

Did you know? Merri turns the word merry into a name and can also shorten Meredith, and it peaked for American girls around 1963, amid the vogue for bright -i endings.
Overall data confidence 50%
References — Merri — Spelling of word 'merry'; also short for Meredith

Variations

MerryMeriMerrie

Nicknames

MerRi

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Merri…

Merry— the word Merri spells with an -i
Meredith— the fuller name Merri can shorten
Terri— a like -i nickname-name of the era
Kerri— a like bright -i ending feminine

Explore names like Merri

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Merri mean?

Merri means 'merry, joyful', a spelling of the word merry; it can also shorten Meredith.

How do you pronounce Merri?

It's said MAIR-ee /ˈmɛr.i/ — two syllables, stress on the first, like 'merry'.

Is Merri a boy or girl name?

Merri is a girl's name.

Is Merri making a comeback?

It stays rare, though the cheerful word behind it keeps a timeless appeal.

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