UK girl's name
Merida
A feminine name of Spanish origin meaning "of merit".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Merida is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Merida popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2411, with 11 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 21 births.
This profile covers 141 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 2013 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 52% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 196 living people in the UK are called Merida. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Merida ranked #2411 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 21 girls were registered as Merida.
- • Merida ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #790 in 2024.
- • About 196 living people in the UK are estimated to have Merida as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2411
2024
Births in 2024
11
Latest year
Peak year
2018
21 births
Estimated living
196
2026
Meaning
What does Merida mean?
The name Merida is of Spanish origin, derived from the ancient Roman city of Emerita Augusta, now known as Mérida, Spain. The city was founded in 25 BC by Emperor Augustus as a settlement for retired Roman soldiers. The name Emerita comes from the Latin word "emeritus," meaning "veteran."
In its earliest form, the name was spelled "Emerida" or "Emerita," referring to the city's origins as a settlement for retired Roman soldiers. Over time, the spelling evolved to the modern-day "Merida" in Spanish. The name gained popularity in Spain and later spread to other Spanish-speaking regions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Merida appears in a 12th-century Spanish manuscript, where it is mentioned as the name of a noblewoman from the region of Extremadura, near the city of Mérida. This early historical reference suggests that the name was in use during the medieval period in Spain.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Merida, including:
1. Merida de Navarra (c. 1138-1187), Queen of Navarre during the 12th century, known for her involvement in the civil war between her husband and son over the succession of the Navarrese throne.
2. Merida de la Cruz (1789-1854), a Venezuelan revolutionary and soldier who fought alongside Simón Bolívar during the Venezuelan War of Independence.
3. Merida Grubb (1827-1909), an American educator and activist who played a crucial role in establishing the first kindergarten in the United States, based on the principles of Friedrich Froebel.
4. Merida Quesada (1897-1979), a Cuban writer and journalist known for her contributions to the literary magazine "Revista de Avance" and her efforts in promoting the work of female writers in Cuba.
5. Merida Mateo (1935-2021), a Spanish actress renowned for her performances in numerous Spanish films and TV series, including her memorable role in the film "Viridiana" directed by Luis Buñuel.
The name Merida has maintained its presence and popularity throughout the centuries, particularly in Spanish-speaking countries, where it continues to be a beloved and culturally significant name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Merida over time
The chart below shows babies named Merida registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2013 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Merida, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 21 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Merida by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Merida was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2164 | 62 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2482 | 79 | 7 |
Geography
Where Merida is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Merida. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Merida ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #790 in 2024.
Across the UK
Merida in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#790 in 2024
11 years of NRS records, 56 total registered
Related
Names similar to Merida
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Merida: questions and answers
How popular is the name Merida in the UK right now?
In 2024, Merida was ranked #2411 for girls in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Merida most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 21 babies registered as Merida in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Merida?
A feminine name of Spanish origin meaning "of merit".
How many people are called Merida in the UK?
A total of 141 babies have been registered as Merida across the 12 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 56 more in Scotland.
Where is Merida most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Merida ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #790 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.