Baby Names of Ireland

Meryl in Irish: Muirgheal

The Irish form of Meryl is Muirgheal, a girl's name meaning “bright as the sea.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.

Updated September 2026

How to say Muirgheal
MUR-elTwo syllables, stress on the first
Irish form
Muirgheal
Meaning
Bright as the sea
Gender
Girl
Popularity in Ireland
No. 885 for girls (2025)

How do you say Meryl in Irish?

Meryl in Irish is Muirgheal, pronounced MUR-el. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.

What does Muirgheal mean?

Muirgheal means “bright as the sea.” Meryl is one of the English forms of the name.

Read more about Muirgheal: its meaning, origin and stories

In 2025, 3 baby girls in Ireland were named Meryl, which made it No. 885 that year. It was most popular in 2014, when 3 baby girls were named Meryl, No. 876 that year. It first appears in the records in 2014, with 3 baby girls.

01.531970198019902000201020203 in 2025
Baby girls named Meryl each year. Source: Central Statistics Office, Irish Babies’ Names 2025 (data: table VSA60, girls' names, CC BY 4.0).
See the numbers by year
YearBabiesRank
20253No. 885
20143No. 876

Muirgheal in Ogham

Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Muirgheal, letter by letter.

᚛ᚋᚒᚔᚏᚌᚆᚓᚐᚂ᚜
  1. MMuin, vine
  2. UÚr, heather
  3. IIodhadh, yew
  4. RRuis, elder
  5. GGort, ivy
  6. HUath, hawthorn
  7. EEadhadh, aspen
  8. AAilm, pine
  9. LLuis, rowan

Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator

Names that go with Meryl

Questions about Meryl

What is Meryl in Irish?
The Irish form of Meryl is Muirgheal, pronounced MUR-el. Muirgheal means “bright as the sea.”
How do you pronounce Muirgheal?
Muirgheal is pronounced MUR-el. Two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Meryl a girl's name or a boy's name?
Meryl is a girl's name.
How popular is Meryl in Ireland?
In 2025, Meryl was No. 885 for girls in Ireland, with 3 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 2014, at No. 876.