Baby name: Merle?

I am not married (yet! It’s coming up soon!) and so I have a nice list of possible baby names that of course changes from month to month. I’ve recently lost my grandfather- he was very special to me and we had a great bond.
For a long time, the name [name_m]John[/name_m] was on my list for him, because that was his first name. I’m not sure how I never debated it before, but I’ve now got [name_u]Merle[/name_u] on my list, because though his name was [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_u]Merle[/name_u] LastName, he was ALWAYS called [name_u]Merle[/name_u]. Always. His family, his wife, his friends, us grandkids… he was Grandpa [name_u]Merle[/name_u].
So my question for you all is…
am I crazy to debate this name? It’s by all means old-fashioned, and perhaps a little too stuffy to bring back… my emotional ties to it are huge of course, but would it line any future kid of mine up to be made fun of?
I’ve posted this in both the Boy and Girl forums because I thought it could work as either…
Am I overthinking this!? Help!!

It definitely sounds better on a boy. But I’m not a fan of [name_u]Merle[/name_u] at all. I think it could cause some teasing, like children saying “go back to the 50’s”. I think that [name_m]Jonathan[/name_m] would be a more creative and modern way to honor him.

I disagree with pp that kids might tell him to “go back to the 50’s”. I’ve never heard a kid say that, and went to school with a [name_m]Clinton[/name_m] [name_m]Washington[/name_m], so if anyone was going to be told to go back in time by other kids it would have been him. Kids don’t really pay attention to which names are vintage or modern, and this potential baby would be born in the 2020’s, a time where all sorts of names are used, and even the Avas in every grade might only meet 1 or 2 others. [name_u]Merle[/name_u] is short and simple, and definitely old fashioned, but in a vintage way. If you like it, go for it, it’s a perfectly nice name :slight_smile:

I can see [name_u]Merle[/name_u] coming back for sure; I think you’d be ahead of the curve if you used it now.

Maybe my view on it is skewed, since I’m in the UK where this name has never really been used, so it doesn’t feel quite so “dated” to me, but I quite like it! It’s the [name_m]French[/name_m] word for “blackbird” — quite sweet, really!

Being one syllable and a distinctive sound, it would also make for a fantastic middle name for either sex — like the standard [name_f]Rose[/name_f] or [name_u]James[/name_u] but much rarer and with more personal meaning.

I think of [name_u]Merle[/name_u] Haggard. It’s extremely country to me, lol.

I like [name_u]Merle[/name_u] but I also love [name_u]Merle[/name_u] Haggard

I kind of love [name_u]Merle[/name_u]. It definitely has a touch of country, but in a strong cowboy kind of way like [name_m]Wyatt[/name_m] or [name_m]Harlan[/name_m] or [name_u]Beau[/name_u]. The family connection makes it super special and I don’t think he would get made fun of at all.

I like it. It’s a girl name in a few northern European countries, but not super common. I know a female [name_u]Merle[/name_u] and would expect a girl when I hear the name, but I still think it’s fun for a boy as well, especially with the family background!