Merlijn

The masculine first name Merlijn represents the Dutch variant of Merlin, an English form of the Old Welsh name Myrddin. Translated into German, the name means 'the hill by the sea', 'the dune by the sea', and 'the falcon'.

What does the name Merlijn mean?

Merlijn is a masculine first name regarded as the Dutch equivalent of Merlin, which in turn is an Anglicized version of the Old Welsh Myrddin. In German, the name is translated as 'the hill by the sea', 'the dune by the sea', and 'the falcon'. The etymological roots of the name lie in the Celtic elements muir, meaning 'the sea' or 'the ocean', and dun, which describes 'the hill', 'the dune', 'the fort', or 'the fortress'. Additionally, the name may be derived from the English merlin or the Middle English merlion, meaning 'the dwarf falcon' or 'the little falcon'. Originally, the bard Myrddin Wyllt bore this name, which is one of the main sources for the famous figure surrounding King Arthur. Geoffrey of Monmouth later Latinized Myrddin in his writings to Merlinus. In various stories, Merlin is portrayed not only as a wizard but also as a druid. Other variants of the name include Merlyn and Merlion, while the feminine forms are Merlina and Merline.

Where does the name Merlijn come from?

The name Merlijn has its roots in the Old Welsh and Celtic languages and means 'the hill by the sea'.

How do you pronounce Merlijn?

Merlijn is pronounced approximately like 'Merlein'.

Popularity

In Germany, Merlijn is a rather rare first name. In 2016, it ranked 4,252nd on the list of the most popular male baby names. Over the past ten years, the name Merlijn has been given less than 10 times, placing it 8,008th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 9,767th.