Given name & surname
Merced
“wages”·“lady of mercies; refers to the Virgin Mary”
Merced is a variant of Mercedes. Interpretations include “wages” and “lady of mercies; refers to the Virgin Mary” (Spanish). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Merced is a variant of Mercedes. Interpretations include “wages” and “lady of mercies; refers to the Virgin Mary” (Spanish). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Merced is a variant of Mercedes. An origin associated with Mercedes is Spanish.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1905. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Merced through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 945
- 764 boys · 181 girls
- Most popular year
- 1924
- 23 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 7 in 2021. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 19 in 1942. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,762 as a first name in 2020; 3,446 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Merced’s family of names
Merced has a related form in Mercedes.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Merced, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Merle
“resembling a blackbird”
98% boys · 2% girls
Merlin
Merlin is used as a given name and a surname. One Welsh interpretation is “of the sea fortress; in Arthurian legend, the wizard and mentor of King Arthur.”
82% boys · 18% girls
Mervin
“a friend of the sea”
>99% boys
Elson
“from the nobleman's town”
>99% boys
Fred
“a peaceful ruler” · “one who counsels the elves”
>99% boys
Elwyn
“a friend of the elves”
81% boys · 19% girls
Harald
“the ruler of an army”
>99% boys
Murray
“the lord of the sea”
86% boys · 14% girls