Given name & surname
Merla
“resembling a blackbird”
Merla is a variant of Merle. One French interpretation is “resembling a blackbird.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Merla is a variant of Merle. One French interpretation is “resembling a blackbird.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Merla is a variant of Merle. An origin associated with Merle is French.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1908. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Merla through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 424
- 0 boys · 424 girls
- Most popular year
- 1949
- 16 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 girls is 5 in 1966. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 16 in 1949. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 501 as a first name in 2020; 276 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.
Merla’s family of names
Merla has a related form in Merle. Merla has a related form in Meryl. In Greek usage, Merla as a surname is a transliteration of Μέρλα.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Merla, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Mala
>99% girls
Merry
“one who is lighthearted and joyful” · “filled with joy”
>99% girls
Marsha
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war”
>99% girls
Marla
Marla is a feminine given name from Hebrew.
>99% girls
Marleen
Marleen is a feminine given name from Hebrew. It is used in English, German, Dutch, and Estonian.
>99% girls
Mickie
“who is like God?”
5% boys · 95% girls
Marilee
>99% girls
Marlynn
“resembling a little hawk”
>99% girls