Home › Baby Names Directory › Merwin
Merwin
How to Pronounce Merwin
Pronounced MUR-win /ˈmɜːr.wɪn/Medium
Meaning: Merwin is a variant of Mervin and Marvin, tracing to the Old Welsh name Merfyn; it is commonly read as 'sea friend' from elements for sea and eminence or friend. The name also survives as an English surname. Merwin keeps the old Welsh sense in a tidy two-syllable form.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
Merwin is a variant of Mervin and Marvin, all descending from the Old Welsh Merfyn. It is usually glossed 'sea friend', from elements for the sea and for friend or eminence. It also exists as an English surname. Merwin carries that Welsh heritage in a slightly older-looking spelling than the common Marvin.
Merwin was a modest early-century boys' name, cresting near 1928 and fading by mid-century. A man given it at its peak would be nearly a hundred today. Marvin far outlasted it, leaving Merwin an antique variant most associated with the early 1900s and, for readers, with the poet W. S. Merwin.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- Famous bearers coming soon.
If you like Merwin…
Explore names like Merwin
Frequently Asked
What does the name Merwin mean?
Merwin is a variant of Mervin/Marvin, from Old Welsh Merfyn, often read as 'sea friend'.
How do you pronounce Merwin?
It's said MUR-win /ˈmɜːr.wɪn/ — two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Merwin a boy or girl name?
Merwin is used as a boy's name, a variant of Marvin.
How popular is Merwin?
Merwin was a modest early-century name that crested in the nineteen-twenties; the form Marvin proved far more lasting.