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Murl
How to Pronounce Murl
Pronounced MURL /ˈmɜrl/High
Meaning: Murl is a phonetic variant of Merle, from Old French merle, 'blackbird' (via Latin merula). It may also draw on surnames such as Murrell. Used as a boy's name in early-twentieth-century America, it keeps the 'blackbird' sense of Merle.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
Murl is a phonetic variant of Merle, from Old French merle, 'blackbird,' and it likely also echoes surnames such as Murrell. It belongs to the plain, homespun boys' names of the rural early-twentieth-century United States, when spellings often followed sound. The meaning comes down from Merle.
The name crested around 1919 and stayed a modest choice, borne by roughly nineteen hundred boys before fading by the early 1980s. A Murl named at the peak would be past a hundred today, a great-grandfather-era name. It has not revived and reads as a genuine vintage respelling.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Murl mean?
Murl is a variant of Merle, from French merle, 'blackbird,' and shares that meaning.
How do you pronounce Murl?
It's said MURL /ˈmɜrl/ — one syllable.
Is Murl a boy or girl name?
Murl is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Murl?
Murl was an uncommon vintage boys' name that crested in the nineteen-teens and has been rare since.