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Home › Baby Names Directory › Merton

Merton

♂ Boy

Pronounced MUR-tuhn /ˈmɜːr.tən/Medium

Meaning: Merton is an Old English place and surname name from mere ('lake, pool') and tun ('settlement, enclosure'), so 'settlement by a lake'. Carried into first-name use, it read as dignified and scholarly.Medium

In 30 seconds: A scholarly surname-name: Merton means 'settlement by a lake' (said 'MUR-tuhn'). It peaked around 1920, then thinned out.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningMerton is an Old English place and surname name from mere ('lake, pool') and tun ('settlement, enclosure'), so 'settlement by a lake'. Carried into first-name use, it read as dignified and scholarly.
U.S. rank (1995)#9813 ↘ Falling
1995 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1920
Total births (all-time)≈ 4,247

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192018801995

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

Merton comes from the Old English mere ('lake') and tun ('settlement'), a place and surname name meaning 'settlement by a lake'. Used as a first name for its dignified ring, it peaked around 1920. The monk and author Thomas Merton kept it in view a generation on (said 'MUR-tuhn').

As a given name it grew rare after mid-century, though it endures as a surname and place name. It reads today as a bookish antique. Scholarly, place-rooted, and uncommon.

Did you know? Merton, an Old English place name meaning 'settlement by a lake', peaked as a boys' given name around 1920; writer Thomas Merton later gave it a contemplative fame.
Overall data confidence 60%
References — Merton — Old English mere 'lake' + tun 'settlement'; Thomas Merton

Variations

MertenMartonMorton

Nicknames

MertMert

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Merton…

Morton— a like -ton place-name for boys
Milton— a like scholarly Old English name
Vernon— a like dignified vintage boys' name
Emerson— a like surname-style given name

Explore names like Merton

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Merton mean?

Merton means 'settlement by a lake', from the Old English mere ('lake') and tun ('settlement').

How do you pronounce Merton?

It's said MUR-tuhn /ˈmɜːr.tən/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Merton a boy or girl name?

Merton is a boy's name, a surname and place name used as a first name.

Is Merton making a comeback?

It stays rare as a first name, though surname names in general are in fashion.

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