Meaning: Its source is Muriel, an English name meaning "Sparkling sea."

Popularity: The name Merrilee ranked 3423rd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: Some experts dispute this name's derivation from Muriel, and believe it was invented at the beginning of the 20th century, modeled on Cheryl.

In any case, actress Meryl Streep (born Mary Louise Streep in 1949) has contributed greatly to its popularity since the 1980s.