View Message

[Opinions] Merle for a boy or girl?
Do you prefer Merle on males or females? What would your combos be? I've been thinking about this name lately and I like it on females. I think of a young studious woman or a hipster who listens to vinyls.
Archived Thread - replies disabled
vote up1

Replies

It reads more as masculine to me, but I know of women named Merle, too. (Merle Dandridge, anyone?) I had a great-uncle with the name.I really don't like it. It reflects a bygone time period and just... I don't care for it.
vote up1
It reads more male to me. On a girl I think it should be short for something, but I don't know what. I'd like:
boy on its own
boy short for Merlin
girl short for Muriel
girl short for Merula
vote up1
I had a friend named Marilyn who went by Merle - rhymes with Pearl. Her mother's name was Merlene
vote up1
I only know of Merle Haggard the country singer and until this thread never knew it was used as a girl's name.
vote up1
I like it for a male puppy but not much beyond that
vote up1
It's great-grandpa/dorky for a boy (baby today), and could seem ugly chic for a boy. Like Earl or Dwight or Clyde. The early/mid 20th century American dude image is strong for me, and it's not appealing to me, at least not in this case. I don't think it becomes modern again... just like Lurlene and Myrtle and Floyd and Herman didn't make a comeback, neither should Merle (m). For a girl I think it'd come off about like Arlo or Sloan or Ellis does. Kind of a slick sexless retro surnamey chic. Like Merrill, or Averil.
That's not my style exactly ... but I personally like it because I love the sounds in it.
I prefer -rl- in feminine names, and it reminds me of Muriel a bit, so I'd rather use it for a girl. I like Merel more, I think it's brighter, but still. Merle f >> Merle m
I think Merrill would be cooler for a boy than Merle.Merle Violet
Merle Yolanda
Merle Margaret
Merle Michaela
Merle Acacia
vote up3
My parents lost a girl before I was born named Meryl. I've always wanted to use Meryl as a middle name for girls if I have kids, so I had thought to use Merrill as a masculine form of Meryl.I like Muriel but I can't use it since one of my cousins as it as a middle name. I can't actually use Merle either since I have a (female) cousin whose name is Merly (It's her full first name, not a nickname for Merle or anything).
vote up1
It's not bad as a unisex name, but it's best on females. It's strictly feminine in some European countries, such as Denmark, Germany or The Netherlands and I'm used to that.On another note, I prefer the variant Merula by far, which is directly taken from the Latin word.Merle Cordelia
Merle Eloise
Merle Isabella
Merle Rosalie
Merle VioletMerula Beatrix
Merula Daphne
Merula Florence
Merula Genevieve
Merula Noelle
vote up2
I've always liked Merula. It's pretty.
vote up1
The only Merle I know are mil mn and the captain of the love boat. I don't really like the name but I consider it more feminine
vote up2
I've only ever encountered Merle as a female name. I don't like it particularly - that -er- sound isn't a favourite - but there are worse names. I suppose Meryl is a variation, or perhaps the other way round. I greatly prefer Merle to Muriel, although Muriel is a family name and my associations with it are very positive. I would be disappointed to meet a male Merle.
vote up3