Merwin is an unusual yet appealing given name of American origin, derived from Middle English 'mer' meaning 'sea' and 'wine'. It was popularized by the American poet Witter Bynner, who used it as a pseudonym in his early writings. Today, Merwin is often associated with nature and creativity due to its nautical roots and literary fame.
The name Merwin peaked in popularity during the early 20th century, with a notable increase from 1913 to 1916, reaching its zenith with 51 births in 1916. However, it declined significantly thereafter, falling below 20 births per year by 1940. Since then, the name has remained relatively uncommon, with fewer than 10 births reported annually from 1952 onwards, and consistently five births per year from 1975 to 2008. Overall, there have been a total of 1625 recorded births for the name Merwin.