Meritt is a unique and uncommon name of English origin. It is derived from the Old English word "meriþ", which means "joy" or "pleasure". This name has been used throughout history, but it is not very popular today.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Meritt can be found in medieval England. In the Domesday Book of 1086, there was a place called "Meret" in Lincolnshire, which suggests that the name may have had some popularity during that time period.
Throughout history, the name Meritt has been associated with various notable figures. For example, Sir Thomas Merrett was an English politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Tamworth from 1640 to 1642. Additionally, Merritt Wever is an American actress who won an Emmy Award for her role in the television series "Nurse Jackie".
Despite its historical significance and unique meaning, Meritt remains a relatively rare name today. According to data from the Social Security Administration, only seven girls were named Meritt in the United States in 2020. However, this uniqueness may make it an appealing choice for parents looking for a distinctive name for their child.
Based on the statistics provided, it seems that the name Meritt has had a somewhat fluctuating popularity over the past two decades in the United States.
The name first appeared in the records with five births in the year 1997. This number remained relatively stable for several years, with six births recorded in both 2014 and 2017. However, there was a notable increase in popularity between 2015 and 2016, with nine and ten births respectively during these two years.
After peaking at ten births in 2018, the popularity of Meritt appeared to decline again, with seven births recorded in 2019. This downward trend continued into 2021, with only five births recorded that year. However, there has been a recent resurgence in popularity, with six births in 2022 and eight births in 2023.
Overall, over the past two decades, a total of seventy-two babies have been given the name Meritt at birth in the United States. While this number is not extremely high compared to other popular names, it does indicate that there has been some consistent interest in the name Meritt among parents during this period.