Mercy
Girl name · #864 in 2025 · Uniqueness 62/100
Mercy is currently the #864 girl name in the United States — 313 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1011, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,751 girls born in 2025 was named Mercy.
The 144-year story
Mercy first appears in the Social Security records in 1881, when 9 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 441 girls were named Mercy — good for #661 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Mercy per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Mercy against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Mercy in class?
Mercy scores 62 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Mercy is most common
Geography matters for names, and Mercy is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Mercys were TX (35), CA (23), GA (17), TN (17), NC (14). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Mercy
Statistically, parents drawn to Mercy tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Quincy, Maisy, Milena, Malky, and Landry.
QuincyMaisyMilenaMalkyLandryKeilyMillyMeera
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Mercy | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 313 | #862 |
| 2024 | 320 | #845 |
| 2023 | 329 | #834 |
| 2022 | 355 | #796 |
| 2021 | 363 | #780 |
| 2020 | 339 | #801 |
| 2019 | 441 | #661 |
| 2018 | 392 | #725 |
| 2017 | 367 | #758 |
| 2016 | 360 | #791 |
| 2015 | 265 | #1011 |
| 2014 | 289 | #933 |
| 2013 | 314 | #838 |
| 2012 | 255 | #988 |
| 2011 | 246 | #1017 |
| 2010 | 207 | #1178 |
| 2009 | 193 | #1265 |
| 2008 | 182 | #1345 |
| 2007 | 176 | #1370 |
| 2006 | 163 | #1390 |
| 2005 | 159 | #1362 |
| 2004 | 150 | #1387 |
| 2003 | 156 | #1318 |
| 2002 | 111 | #1654 |
| 2001 | 131 | #1438 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Mercy a popular girl name?
Mercy ranked #864 among girls in 2025 with 313 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1011.
When was the name Mercy most popular?
Mercy peaked in 2019, when 441 American girls received the name (ranked #661 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Mercy?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,751 newborn American girls was named Mercy. It scores 62/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.