Merrell is an uncommon given name of English origin, derived from Middle English 'merrel', which referred to a type of songbird known as the merle. The name gained popularity as a surname in England during medieval times, and its use as a given name is more recent.
The name Merrell experienced significant popularity during the first half of the 20th century, with a peak of 27 births in 1915 and consistent numbers ranging from 18 to 27 between 1915 and 1923. However, after 1923, the number of births began to decline, dropping below 10 consistently after 1963. Since then, Merrell has been a rare name choice, with fewer than 10 births per year occurring from 1967 onwards.