DH and I love [name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] for our second daughter. But is [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] too masculine for a girl?
I fell for it because it bears similarity to [name_f]Marit[/name_f], a family name on my side.
We are pretty set on [name_f]Ella[/name_f], though. Our older daughter is named [name_f]Reina[/name_f] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f].
I don’t see this name as butch at all. It seems very pretty to me. [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] is close to “merit”, which is simply a virtue, neither masculine or feminine. I like it!
I think it is pretty! I think [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] is more for girls and the name [name_m]Merrick[/name_m] more for boys.
[name_m]Merrit[/name_m] is a lovely girls name and works well with [name_f]Ella[/name_f]-- you should use it!
I think [name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] is lovely!
I don’t think it’s butch at all! It’s very feminine and its like the virtue name, Merit as someone else mentioned above. I love it!
I have never heard [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] as a name and now I am so happy I have! I definitely don’t think it sounds butch, actually I think it is very feminine!
Such a great choice! [name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] is an A+ choice, my friend~
It’s beautiful in the middle.
Agreed! I can see [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] going for either gender, but because of the virtue, I think [name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] is very dainty and spunky at once, and a perfect little sister to [name_f]Reina[/name_f] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] (which is very gorgeous, btw!)! I would love to meet a little [name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_u]Merritt[/name_u]. If not [name_u]Merritt[/name_u], I think [name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_f]Marit[/name_f] would be gorgeous, as well!
I think it works fine in the middle spot. It helps that [name_f]Ella[/name_f] is the polar opposite of butch.
[name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] is fantastic!
[name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] is a lovely choice - nothing wrong with it.
[name_m]Butch[/name_m] means masculine, almost aggressively so.
[name_u]Merritt[/name_u] isn’t what I would call “butch” or too masculine. I’d call it unisex or androgynous on its own and leaning towards feminine with a first name like [name_f]Ella[/name_f].
Sounds lovely! [name_f]Ella[/name_f] is so girly and sweet it works well with something more sturdy like [name_u]Merritt[/name_u]. I don’t find it masculine, just more grounded, I wouldn’t like it as a first name but it works in the middle and fits with [name_f]Ella[/name_f].
If your not convinced what about [name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_f]Verity[/name_f], [name_f]Ella[/name_f] grace, [name_f]Ella[/name_f] fern, [name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_f]Marie[/name_f]
I have no idea where you live, but to me this is [name_u]Merritt[/name_u]…
The [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] Parkway (also known locally as “The [name_u]Merritt[/name_u]”) is a historic limited-access parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The parkway is known for its scenic layout, its uniquely styled signage, and the architecturally elaborate overpasses along the route. It is designated as a National Scenic Byway and is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Signed as part of Route 15, it runs from the [name_m]New[/name_m] [name_m]York[/name_m] state line in Greenwich, where it serves as the continuation of the [name_m]Hutchinson[/name_m] [name_u]River[/name_u] Parkway, to the Housatonic [name_u]River[/name_u] in [name_m]Stratford[/name_m], where the [name_m]Wilbur[/name_m] [name_m]Cross[/name_m] Parkway begins. On [name_f]May[/name_f] 19, 2010, the parkway was named one of [name_u]America[/name_u]'s Most Endangered Historic Places. The parkway was named for U.S. Congressman [name_u]Schuyler[/name_u] [name_u]Merritt[/name_u].
… Merritt Parkway - Wikipedia
(Place names are currently very popular. If you like it, go with it!)
I second this exactly!
I think it is really cute!
[name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] is a terrific combo! [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] in my eyes is a true unisex name and works well on both girls and boys 
Since Meritt is traditionally a surname (and not ending in -son), I’d consider it a unisex name. I do think it has a slightly masculine sound, along with popular names like [name_m]Benett[/name_m], etc, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it on a girl.
So personally, I don’t find it excessively masculine, but if you’re the type of person who is concerned about a name (in the middle, especially) being too “butch” (which Meritt certainly isn’t, but it does have a slightly masculine leaning [name_f]IMO[/name_f]), I’d pick something more notably feminine.
I think [name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] is lovely. [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] is very unisex to me, perhaps because it is traditionally a surname. Is there a reason you don’t want to use [name_f]Marit[/name_f]? I personally much prefer it, and it actually feels much more feminine to me. I have a coworker with a very feminine daughter named Merit, a spelling which gets you closer to the pronunciation of [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] than [name_f]Marit[/name_f] does. Merit is also how you spell the virtue, and, since there’s a long history of giving virtue names to little girls, this spelling also feels more feminine to me.