Entry № 0840 · Welsh origin

Meredith Meredith — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ MER-eh-dith /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Welsh
Meaning
"Great ruler, lord of the sea"
Syllables
3
Rank · US 2025
№ 612
First recorded
Medieval (Welsh)

A name that means "great ruler, lord of the sea".

Meredith comes from the Old Welsh Maredudd — composed of mawr (great) and iudd (lord) — meaning "great lord" or "great ruler." It was originally a male Welsh name; in modern English use it is predominantly female.

Meredith has been continuously in the U.S. top 500 since the 1950s. The character Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy (2005 onward) has kept the name in popular memory for two decades. Today it sits in the U.S. top 600.

Great ruler. A Welsh classic, now female.

Where Meredith stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 612 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 137 in 1981
Babies named Meredith · last year
487 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1909
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · №137 NOW · №612

Merediths before her.

Real people
Meredith Vieira
American journalist.
born 1953
Meredith Brooks
American singer.
born 1958
In fiction
Meredith Grey
Heroine of Grey's Anatomy.
ABC, 2005 onward

Names connected to Meredith.

The number behind Meredith.

6

The Nurturer

Meredith reduces to six — the number of warm leadership.

Why families chose this name.

"Welsh, three syllables, great ruler. Our daughter does live up to it."
Bethan · Mother of one · Cardiff