Merrick

Today's name: Merrick (male)

Pronunciation: MEYR-rick

Potential nicknames: Merr, Merri, Rick, Ricky/Ricki, Eric

Origin: The Anglicized version of Meurig, the Welsh variant of Maurice. I have to say, Merrick beats Maurice any day of the week. Merrick means "moor." It is also possible the name came from an Old French personal name meaning "famous ruler," or a different French name, both with Germanic influences.

Popularity: Merrick is used more as a surname than a given name. In 2010 there were 125 baby boys named Merrick, 11 named Merric, and 16 named Merrik. There were also 13 baby girls named Merrick. In 2011 there were 11 girls given the name, and 7 boys named Meric, 7 Merric, 10 Merick, 12 Merik, 13 Merrik, 15 Merek, and 116 Merrick.

Fun fact: (1) Beautiful (female) witch/vampire Merrick Mayfair from Anne Rice's novel Merrick. (2) A character in Michael Crichton's novel "Timeline," played by Gerard Butler in the movie adaptation. (3) Merrick, New York. (4) There are two bands named Merrick.

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