Names That Mean Boundary

Merritt is an old-style surname name that could be seen as a positive virtue name. It was used in the late 19th and early 20th century for boys, reaching the Top 400 in 1899, and is notable today for being one of the names most evenly divided between boys and girls. Emmy winner Merritt Wever helped popularize it for girls.

Merritt has a long and distinguished history as a surname; the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut and the Merritt Building testify to that. But it wasn't until Emmy-winning actress Merritt Wever came along that we gave it much thought as a girls' name. And we aren't alone. It's grown tremendously in popularity since the premiere of Nurse Jackie, in which Wever played a key role. More than 100 baby girls a year are now named Merritt in the U.S.

Stuffy surname.

This surname-name oozes Southern charm; nevertheless, its most famous bearer was a New Englander, Rhode Island senator Claiborne de Borda Pell, who sponsored education legislation leading to the much beloved Pell scholarship programme. That connection alone instills this name with intellect as well as style.

This unusual unisex surname name is pretty evenly divided between the sexes these days than it was in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when it was almost entirely male.

This Greek name may have several meanings. Referenced in the bible, Hermas was the name of one of the 70 Disciples. The Shepherd of Hermas was an early Christian literary work from the 2nd century.

Fashion designer Liz Claiborne (born Anne Elizabeth Jane Claiborne) make this name a feminist option for girls. She was a pioneer in her field — Liz Claiborne was the first woman-owned company to make the Fortune 500 list. However, the company that shares her name no longer has the same panache it once did, which may deter some parents from using this otherwise inspiring name.

Merrit is a spelling variation of the more usual Merritt.