Given name & surname
Merit
“from the boundary's gate”·“one who deserves good fortune”
Merit is a variant of Merritt. Interpretations include “from the boundary's gate” and “one who deserves good fortune”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Merit is a variant of Merritt. Interpretations include “from the boundary's gate” and “one who deserves good fortune”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Merit is a variant of Merritt. Merritt has been associated with English and Latin naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1918. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Merit through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 544
- 228 boys · 316 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 73 babies
- 2025
- 73
- #3,154 for girls · #4,640 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +52%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 51 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,154 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 103.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 22 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (12). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 608 as a first name in 2020; 217 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.
Merit’s family of names
Merit has a related form in Merritt. In Estonian usage, Merit has a related form in Marit. In Swedish usage, Merit has a related form in Märit.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Merit has relatives in 3 languages.
4 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Merit
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Merit, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Meritt
“from the boundary's gate” · “one who deserves good fortune”
36% boys · 64% girls
Mecca
Mecca is a unisex given name.
60% boys · 40% girls
Kitt
“having great strength”
54% boys · 46% girls
Maze
“one who provides aid”
60% boys · 40% girls
Dezi
“one who is desired” · “one who is desired; hoped for”
45% boys · 55% girls
Ary
“resembling a lion or an eagle”
30% boys · 70% girls
Beni
Beni is a masculine given name. It is used in Hungarian and Atayal.
65% boys · 35% girls
Elis
“Jehovah is my God”
46% boys · 54% girls