Merlyn

The name Merlyn is predominantly considered male, but it is also occasionally used as a female variant of the name Merlin, which has its origin in the Old Welsh Myrddin. The meaning of the name can be literally translated as 'the hill by the sea', 'the dune by the sea', and also 'the falcon'.

What does the name Merlyn mean?

Merlyn is primarily a male, but occasionally female form of the name Merlin, derived from the Old Welsh Myrddin. The literal translation of the name means 'the hill by the sea', 'the dune by the sea', or 'the falcon'. The roots of the name lie in the Celtic elements muir, meaning 'the sea' or 'the ocean', and dun, meaning 'the hill', 'the dune', 'the fort', or 'the fortress'. Additionally, the name may also stem from the English merlin or the Middle English merlion for 'the dwarf falcon'. Myrddin was originally the name of the bard Myrddin Wyllt, who is considered one of the central figures in the legend of King Arthur. Geoffrey of Monmouth later Latinized this name in his writings to Merlinus. In various tales, Merlin is depicted as both a wizard and a druid. Alternative forms include Merlijn and Merlion, while the female variants include Merlina and Merline.

Where does the name Merlyn come from?

The name Merlyn has its roots in Old Welsh and Celtic and carries the meaning 'the hill by the sea'.

How do you pronounce Merlyn?

Merlyn is pronounced approximately like 'Mär-lin'.

Popularity

In Germany, Merlyn is a rather rare first name. In 2023, it ranked 5,633rd on the list of the most common female first names. Its best ranking was in 2008 at 933rd. In the last ten years, the name has been given as a first name less than 10 times, placing it 8,310th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it is ranked 9,958th.

Nicknames & pet names

Mermer

Famous people

• Merlyn Dawson (cyclist)
• Merlyn Oliver Evans (British painter and graphic artist)
• Merlyn Phillips (Canadian professional ice hockey player)
• Merlyn Rees (British politician)