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Merril
How to Pronounce Merril
Pronounced MER-ul /ΛmΙr.Ιl/Medium
Meaning: Merril is a one-l spelling of Merrill, an English surname from either the medieval woman's name Muriel ('bright sea') or a place meaning 'pleasant hill'. As a first name it follows the surname-name custom.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
Merril is a trimmed spelling of Merrill, a surname with two likely sources: the medieval given name Muriel, a Celtic name read as 'bright sea', or a place-name meaning 'pleasant hill'. American families adopted it as a first name in the surname-on-sons tradition.
It peaked around 1920 and stayed uncommon through the century, always overshadowed by the fuller Merrill. A man named Merril would likely be of a grandparent-or-older generation, and the name reads as a clean, understated vintage surname-name.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Merril mean?
Merril is a spelling of Merrill, a surname from Muriel ('bright sea') or 'pleasant hill'.
How do you pronounce Merril?
It's said MER-ul /ΛmΙr.Ιl/ β two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Merril a boy or girl name?
Merril is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Merril?
Merril was always rare in the U.S., a one-l spelling of the surname-name Merrill.