The story behind Merlin
From Middle English Merlyn, from Medieval Latin Merlinus and Old French Merlin, from Proto-Brythonic *Mor-ðin (literally “sea-hill”), from Proto-Celtic *mori (“sea”) + *dūnom (“stronghold, rampart”).
Pronunciation
General-American: /ˈmɝlɪn/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Received-Pronunciation: /ˈmɜːlɪn/
Popularity
Merlin ranked #7758 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Merlin
Austin
From Middle English Austin, from Anglo-Norman Aostin, Austin, similar to Old French Aostin, Austin, a popular variant of Old French Agustin, from Latin Augustīnus, from…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Brandon
From Middle English Brandon, Brampdon, Bramdun, Bremedon, Bromdun, from Old English brōmdūn, from brōm (“broom shrub”) + dūn (“hill, dune”). Doublet of Branton. From Irish Mac…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Bronson
From Middle English Brun (“a man named Brown's”) + son.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Clayton
From Middle English Claytone, Cleyton, from Old English clǣġ (“clay”) + Old English tūn (“enclosure, settlement; town”). Analyzable as clay + -ton.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Darwin
From Middle English Darwin, Derwin, from Old English Dēorwine (“a given name”), composed of dēore (“dear”) + wine (“friend”). The city in Australia is named after Charles Darwin.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Eibhlín
From Middle English Evelyn, from Old French Aveline, assimilated to the suffix -ín.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Merlin
Anderson
From Middle English Ander (“Andrew”) + -son, after Saint Andrew, patron saint of Scotland. In the United States, sometimes an anglicization of Danish and Norwegian Andersen or…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Asia
From Middle English Asia, Asie, from Old French Asie and Latin Asia, from Ancient Greek Ᾰ̓σῐ́ᾱ (Ăsĭ́ā), from Mycenaean Greek 𐀀𐀯𐀹𐀊 (a-si-wi-ja /aswijaː/), in turn probably…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Dale
Borrowed from English Dale.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Merlin
Artur
Borrowed from English Arthur, from the name of the legendary king, from Middle English Arthure, from Medieval Latin Arthurus, probably from Welsh arth, from Proto-Celtic *artos.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Asia
From Middle English Asia, Asie, from Old French Asie and Latin Asia, from Ancient Greek Ᾰ̓σῐ́ᾱ (Ăsĭ́ā), from Mycenaean Greek 𐀀𐀯𐀹𐀊 (a-si-wi-ja /aswijaː/), in turn probably…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Baxter
From Middle English bakster, bakestre, from Old English bæcestre (“baker”), equivalent to bake + -ster.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length