WeeNames Scotland’s favourite name finder

← All names

Meryl

Girl name · 11 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Meryl: 11 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 5 births in 1986.

Meryl is most familiar as a modern form of the ancient Celtic name Muriel, itself from the Irish *Muirgel* and Scottish Gaelic *Muireall*, combining *muir* (sea) with *geall* (bright) to mean “bright sea” or “sea-bright.” The name is also sometimes considered a variant of Mireille, a French name of Occitan origin. Its most famous bearer by far is the Oscar‑winning actress Meryl Streep, whose towering career has made the name synonymous with excellence and versatility. The Australian choreographer Meryl Tankard is another noted bearer. No significant place is named after a Meryl, and the name lacks a direct geographic root. A notable variant is Muriel, which enjoyed far greater popularity in

Girl 3 of 52 years

Peak year
19865 babies
Latest (2024)
#7903 babies
Total births
11since 1986
5-year trend
≈ stablevs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 1986 · 5
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).