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Home › Baby Names Directory › Merry

Merry

♀ Girl

Pronounced MAIR-ee /ˈmɛr.i/High

Meaning: From the English word merry, 'cheerful; happy; full of gladness' (also a pet form of Mercy/Meredith); a word-nameLow

In 30 seconds: Merry; cheerful; happy: Merry is an English word-name. Bright, joyful, and warm.
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Origin LowEnglish
MeaningFrom the English word merry, 'cheerful; happy; full of gladness' (also a pet form of Mercy/Meredith); a word-name
U.S. rank (2024)#7117 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births16 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1954
Total births (all-time)≈ 10,360

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 195418982024

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

Merry comes from the English word merry, 'cheerful; happy; full of gladness' (and is also a pet form of Mercy/Meredith). A bright, joyful word-name (said 'MAIR-ee'; full forms Mercy, Meredith).

In the U.S. it appears as a cheerful word-name. Rare today, merry-and-cheerful at the root, and joyful.

Did you know? Merry comes from the English word for 'cheerful; happy; full of gladness' (also a pet form of Mercy and Meredith) — a bright, joyful word-name (famous from Little Women's Meg/Marmee circle and Lord of the Rings' Merry; said 'MAIR-ee').
Overall data confidence 48%
References — Merry — word-name

Variations

MerrieMeriMercy

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Merry…

Mercy— a name it can shorten
Meredith— a name it can shorten
Joy— a fellow cheerful word-name girls' name
Mabry— shares the -ry ending
Maebry— echoes that soft -ry sound

Explore names like Merry

By themeenglishword-name
By meaningJoy

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Merry mean?

Merry is an English word-name — 'cheerful; happy; full of gladness' (also a pet form of Mercy/Meredith).

How do you pronounce Merry?

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

Is Merry a boy or girl name?

Merry is a girl's name.

How popular is Merry?

Merry is a rare name in the U.S. today.

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