The story behind Meryl
A female given name from Scottish Gaelic, variant of Muriel.
Pronunciation
US English (ARPAbet): M EH1 R AH0 L
This is a US English dictionary reading of the spelling; personal pronunciations may differ. Digits mark stress: 0 is unstressed, 1 is primary, 2 is secondary. Pronunciation source and notation.
Popularity
Meryl ranked #8689 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Meryl
Muriel
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Muireall, from muir (“sea”), from Old Irish muir, from Proto-Celtic *mori, from Proto-Indo-European *móri; + geal (“white, bright”), from Old…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Dougal
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Dùghall, from Old Irish dubgall (“Dane, black-haired foreigner”), synchronically from dubh (“black”) + gall (“stranger”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Fingal
From Scottish Gaelic Fionnghall, from fionn (“fair”) + gall (“stranger”). Used by Macpherson as a rendering of the Irish Fionn mac Cumhail.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Mabel
Clipping of Amabel, from Latin amābilis (“lovable”). Borrowed from English Mabel.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Mañjul
Derived from Sanskrit मञ्जुल (mañjula).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Manual
A male given name from Spanish: a rare spelling variant of Manuel, sometimes considered erroneous.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Meryl
Alastair
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair (“Alexander”). Doublet of Alexander.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Alaster
A male given name from Scottish Gaelic, variant of Alistair.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Aleister
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair, from Norman French Alexandre or Latin Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros), from ἀλέξω (aléxō, “to defend”) + ἀνδρ- (andr-), the…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Meryl
Alaster
A male given name from Scottish Gaelic, variant of Alistair.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Angus
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Aonghas, perhaps literally "one choice".
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Blair
From Scottish Gaelic blàr (“field, plain”).
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends R
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length