Barnabas vs Merle

Baby Name Comparison — 2026

Barnabas

Boy #4,616 Most Popular 3 Syllables

"son of encouragement"

Origin: Aramaic

English Greek Christian American European

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Boy #4,664 Most Popular 1 Syllable

"blackbird"

Origin: Old French from Latin merula

French English American

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Barnabas Rank #4,616

Merle Rank #4,664

Barnabas is more popular, ranked #4616 vs #4664 for Merle.

Is Barnabas or Merle more popular?

Barnabas is more popular, ranked #4616 compared to Merle at #4664 in the United States.

What do Barnabas and Merle mean?

Barnabas means "son of encouragement" (Aramaic origin). Merle means "blackbird" (Old French from Latin merula origin).

Are Barnabas and Merle boy or girl names?

Barnabas is primarily a boy name. Merle is primarily a boy name.