Merle

From French Merle.

Merle

1. A surname​ of French origin.
2. A male given name transferred from the surname.
   • 1968 Al Aronowitz, New Country Twang Hits Town, Life Magazine, May 3, 1968, page 12:

     Merle Haggard is a name out of a morality play. And that's the kind of songs he sings.

English 19th-century bird name from merle (“blackbird”), possibly also a variant of Muriel, Merrill, etc.

Merle

1. A female given name.
   • 1887 Emily Frances Adeline Sergeant, Jacob's Wife, page 92:

     Her name was Merle, and to her name she always said she owed the fact that Gilbert Vanborough ever looked at her.

   • 1976 From These Hills, From These Valleys: Pennsylvania Writers' Collection, University of Pittsburgh Press, →ISBN, page 186:

     "I wish I had a name like Merle Oberon or Miriam Hopkins," Mary Agnes said dreamily as she scanned the display of Coming Attractions.

• Elmer, Lemer

Modern coinage, possibly from English Merle, associated with similar sounding names like Merili (“Muriel”) or Merilin (“Marilyn”).

Merle

1. A female given name.

Originally a nickname or an occupational name from merle (“blackbird”).

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Merle

1. A surname​.

• mêler

From the English female given name Merle.

Merle

1. A female given name of modern usage.