Meredith

MEHR·ə·dith · Welsh, from Maredudd/Meredydd ('great lord'), ultimately Old Welsh Margetud. · 3 syllables

Meredith is distinctive.

89/100

Strong Practical Fit

Balanced across pronunciation, everyday use, lifetime fit and international use.

Name Profile

Pronunciation & Spelling
Effortless
91/100
Everyday Use
Low risk
95/100
Growing Up
Strong lifetime fit
Works comfortably across child and adult settings.
82/100
International Use
Broad international fit
Works cleanly across the assessed languages and writing systems.
85/100

NAME DETAILS

CLOSE SPELLINGS: Meridith; Merideth
OTHER-LANGUAGE FORM: Meredydd

ORIGIN & HISTORY

About the name

Maredudd (Welsh). Meredith originates as a masculine Welsh name (Maredudd/Meredydd) widely used in medieval Wales, and remains masculine in Welsh usage today. English novelist and poet George Meredith (1828-1909) popularized the surname form. In English-speaking countries outside Wales, usage has shifted since the mid-1920s toward predominantly feminine given-name use.

POPULARITY

Meredith over time

United States

#469RANK

Rank #469 gives national context, not a classroom forecast.

Uncommon in current U.S. usage. Ranked #469 in the U.S., 2025.

SourceU.S. Social Security Administration · 2025 release

Pronunciation & Forms

SAY IT

MEHR·ə·dith

STRESS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE

CLOSE SPELLINGS

Meridith
Merideth

OTHER-LANGUAGE FORMS

MareduddMedieval Welsh
MargetudOld Welsh
MeredyddCY

PRACTICAL LIFE

How This Name Lives

Classic, formal-register name well established in adult professional contexts on both sides of the Atlantic; the gender association has shifted over the 20th century, so bearers from earlier male-dominant cohorts vs. later female-dominant cohorts may encounter different assumptions.

AT SCHOOL & DAY TO DAY

Classic, slightly formal three-syllable name for a child; less commonly shortened to a nickname than many contemporary names.

INTO ADULTHOOD

Cultural Footprint

TRACEABLE ORIGIN

George Meredith1828-1909, English novelist and poet

More about Meredith

FORMALITY

Functions the same as a formal and informal name; no widely used nickname shortens it further.

EDITORIAL SYNTHESIS

The Decision

Meredith is spelled without unusual letter patterns, and it holds up in everyday use. Surname-dependent compatibility remains unassessed until a surname is added.

STRENGTH

English speakers will most likely pronounce it correctly on the first try. Uses standard characters that systems widely handle cleanly.

BEST FIT

Everyday Use is the strongest-scoring part of this name — no obvious nickname traps, rhymes, or initial issues detected.

FULL-NAME CHECK