Given name
Merlyn
Merlyn is a variant of Merlin. One Welsh interpretation is “of the sea fortress; in Arthurian legend, the wizard and mentor of King Arthur.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Merlyn is a variant of Merlin. One Welsh interpretation is “of the sea fortress; in Arthurian legend, the wizard and mentor of King Arthur.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Merlyn is a variant of Merlin. Merlin has been associated with Welsh and Celtic naming traditions.
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. Merlyn is a variant of Merlin. The history of Merlin gives this family its wider story. Merlin’s literary history includes the stories of King Arthur and his knights.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Merlyn through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 5,045
- 3,410 boys · 1,635 girls
- Most popular year
- 1930
- 159 babies
- 2025
- 13
- #12,740 for girls · #11,534 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −10%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 31% boys.
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 7 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 12,740 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 6.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 41 in 1925. It also appeared in 6 birth records for boys in 2025. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,737 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Merlyn’s family of names
Merlyn has a related form in Merlin. Merlyn has a related form in Meryl.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Merlyn
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Merlyn, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Merrill
“of the shining sea”
51% boys · 49% girls
Marvel
“an extraordinary woman” · “an extraordinary man”
48% boys · 52% girls
Sidney
“from the wide meadow”
49% boys · 51% girls
Cordie
“a good-hearted woman; a woman of honesty”
7% boys · 93% girls
Marion
“a manly man”
34% boys · 66% girls
Marcelle
“the little warrior” · “dedicated to Mars, the god of war”
26% boys · 74% girls
Chesley
“from the meadow”
43% boys · 57% girls
Loris
“crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree”
25% boys · 75% girls