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Mercy as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Mercy

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The baby name Mercy is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced MUR-see (IPA: /ˈmɜːrsi/ or /ˈmɝsi/).

Mercy is English in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: English
Pronunciation: MUR-see (IPA: /ˈmɜːrsi/ or /ˈmɝsi/)

What is the meaning of the name Mercy ?

The baby name Mercy is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced MUR-see (IPA: /ˈmɜːrsi/ or /ˈmɝsi/).

Mercy is English in Origin.

Mercy is an English virtue name meaning “compassion, clemency,” drawn from Middle English merci via Old French merci and ultimately Latin merces “reward, favor,” with its theological nuance shaped by Latin misericordia “pity, loving-kindness.” In Christian contexts it evokes divine forgiveness and benevolence, giving the name a gentle yet weighty moral resonance.

Adopted by English Puritans in the 16th–17th centuries alongside Grace and Charity, Mercy traveled to colonial New England and has resurfaced in various revivals through the modern era. It remains familiar across the Anglophone world and is especially common in parts of Africa. Notable bearers include Revolutionary-era writer Mercy Otis Warren and Nigerian actress Mercy Johnson. Variants and cognates include Merci and Mercie; Spanish Mercedes (diminutives Merche, Meche, and sometimes Mercy), Catalan Mercè, Portuguese Mercês, and Italian Mercede.

Mercy has the following similar or variant Names

Celebrity babies named Mercy

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Mercy James Madonna singer ★★★★★

Mercy – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2022 #1 — 935
ET 0 #5 2 246
NG Girls 0 #6 16,221 15,093
KH Boys 0 #9 1 270
SV 0 #11 1 283
ET Girls 0 #12 5 372
BW Girls 0 #14 206 4,216
KR Girls 0 #15 1 572
GH Girls 0 #16 1,824 6,973
BW 0 #17 3 960
MV 0 #19 1 644
HT Girls 0 #23 1 950
NA 0 #25 9 2,537
BN 0 #32 1 2,297
HN Girls 0 #34 5 884
TM Girls 0 #35 1 574
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
NG 0 #41 311 5,926
MT 0 #42 2 1,767
CM 0 #46 10 2,592
GH 0 #49 306 5,396
NA Girls 0 #65 210 7,146
IN 0 #71 1 2,963
AO 0 #77 1 2,729
PH 0 #78 19 5,607
EC Girls 0 #79 222 3,650
CN 0 #84 3 3,857
EC 0 #92 24 2,502
AF Girls 0 #94 1 2,402
BN Girls 0 #94 13 5,459
PH Girls 0 #96 404 13,098
ID Girls 0 #98 5 3,319
SD 0 #101 2 2,130
TW 0 #101 3 4,523
QA 0 #103 4 7,011
KW 0 #106 11 5,216
GE Girls 0 #108 1 1,564
KW Girls 0 #112 593 19,177
OM 0 #113 9 6,215
OM Girls 0 #115 331 15,987
CY Girls 0 #122 4 3,755
IQ 0 #128 6 3,533
GR 0 #135 1 3,911
ID Boys 0 #135 1 4,130
BN Boys 0 #137 3 6,332
PA 0 #138 1 3,797
JO 0 #140 1 2,158
EE Girls 0 #142 1 1,888
PR Girls 0 #147 15 3,171
QA Girls 0 #147 178 15,378
MT Girls 0 #148 6 3,773
BW Boys 0 #151 4 4,685
AE 0 #160 18 10,220
ZA Girls 0 #161 3,536 25,928
AE Girls 0 #163 493 20,968
CR 0 #163 3 5,526
Sweden Girls 2022 #176 4 1,568
CZ 0 #186 1 3,154
LU Girls 0 #188 3 4,850
CM Girls 0 #191 537 11,671
AR 0 #192 2 2,915
RU 0 #194 1 3,641
DK 0 #203 4 5,198
MO Girls 0 #208 44 7,056
AO Girls 0 #214 4 4,575
PS 0 #219 8 5,692
HU Girls 0 #223 3 3,308
NA Boys 0 #224 12 6,830
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
MO Boys 0 #233 2 5,842
BD 0 #241 1 5,992
GR Girls 0 #241 9 6,293
JP Girls 0 #245 7 6,592
EC Boys 0 #246 1 3,322
AO Boys 0 #248 2 5,568
GT Girls 0 #251 316 7,500
SA Girls 0 #254 1,065 25,931
SG 0 #255 15 11,010
TW Boys 0 #256 1 7,111
TW Girls 0 #256 21 8,139
Canada Girls 2024 #269 17 2,795
GR Boys 0 #273 1 6,912
AF Boys 0 #274 1 3,535
JM Girls 0 #276 3 7,507
IL 0 #278 5 6,291
SA 0 #278 18 10,560
GT 0 #281 34 5,948
PE 0 #281 30 6,350
JO Girls 0 #288 38 7,570
GH Boys 0 #290 57 8,138
JM Boys 0 #292 2 6,876
HR Girls 0 #294 1 3,687
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
JP Boys 0 #303 1 7,909
CZ Boys 0 #305 1 6,530
DK Girls 0 #305 12 7,429
SD Girls 0 #307 39 7,678
CN Girls 0 #315 35 8,829
MY 0 #319 12 12,352
CN Boys 0 #325 7 9,639
DK Boys 0 #332 1 7,401
PL Boys 0 #338 3 6,459
CZ Girls 0 #349 3 5,378
HK 0 #349 9 8,483
YE 0 #359 23 8,639
BR 0 #360 1 5,969
MU Girls 0 #360 3 8,539
PL Girls 0 #364 1 5,096
ZA 0 #370 78 14,421
Finland Girls 0 #374 18 1,368
BH 0 #379 175 17,937
PT Boys 0 #381 1 7,951
SG Girls 0 #382 212 18,916
CO Girls 0 #390 1,378 16,140
Austria Girls 0 #393 28 1,885
MX 0 #393 21 8,339
France Girls 2021 #401 5 3,185
BO 0 #402 7 6,868
PH Boys 0 #402 7 11,440
BD Girls 0 #403 4 8,413
EG 0 #408 5 6,387
PE Girls 0 #412 855 14,861
Spain 0 #421 32 2,326
HK Girls 0 #425 194 16,104
CL 0 #431 4 6,867
LY 0 #432 105 12,703
CO 0 #434 47 7,768
SD Boys 0 #464 3 10,523
PA Girls 0 #466 16 9,861
PS Girls 0 #468 56 10,981
PT Girls 0 #469 3 7,952
IQ Girls 0 #473 32 11,303
BO Girls 0 #480 133 9,488
IN Girls 0 #486 147 13,121
GT Boys 0 #494 6 7,625
CR Girls 0 #504 29 11,342
PA Boys 0 #505 1 9,305
RU Girls 0 #515 9 11,913
CM Boys 0 #521 30 12,054
RU Boys 0 #523 4 12,621
UY Girls 0 #535 2 6,731
IR Girls 0 #543 3 8,334
HK Boys 0 #551 7 12,905
PS Boys 0 #561 1 10,655
IL Girls 0 #564 54 11,648
IR Boys 0 #564 2 10,162
AR Girls 0 #578 22 8,289
NG Boys 0 #591 429 16,906
Spain Girls 0 #603 421 5,561
BD Boys 0 #605 1 10,045
United States Girls 2024 #608 318 8,487
LB 0 #608 51 13,263
BO Boys 0 #619 4 9,244
IT 0 #681 34 4,183
IQ Boys 0 #690 8 13,071
CL Boys 0 #697 4 13,390
MX Girls 0 #709 589 17,781
Finland Girls 2026 #714 25 3,895
IT Girls 0 #715 997 9,415
SG Boys 0 #731 9 17,960
QA Boys 0 #737 7 18,093
KW Boys 0 #749 21 18,755
SY 0 #761 7 11,684
CL Girls 0 #770 82 14,098
BR Boys 0 #783 3 12,213
Germany Girls 0 #790 49 4,949
TN 0 #819 11 13,765
MY Girls 0 #829 166 24,821
EG Girls 0 #830 130 14,742
NL Girls 0 #853 103 5,933
PE Boys 0 #861 18 14,506
EG Boys 0 #862 25 15,035
United States Boys 2024 #869 24 7,044
ZA Boys 0 #869 320 25,619
OM Boys 0 #870 12 17,948
CO Boys 0 #900 21 15,656
BR Girls 0 #932 10 12,708
MX Boys 0 #969 14 16,355
IN Boys 0 #1,031 9 16,750
AE Boys 0 #1,071 22 22,615
MY Boys 0 #1,089 23 25,439
MA 0 #1,107 22 20,986
DZ 0 #1,165 12 20,130
TR 0 #1,181 31 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,448 24 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,561 54 28,008

Mercy is popular in 88 countries — most recent births per country:

Canada
United States
Ireland
France
Sweden

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Mercy

Mercy is predominantly a girl's name.
Mercy is a 2 syllable name, pronounced MUR-see (IPA: /ˈmɜːrsi/ or /ˈmɝsi/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Mercie, Mersie, Mersy and Merc (nickname).
Across languages, Mercy has these equivalents: Misericordia (Latin/Spanish/Portuguese/Italian, liturgical form), Mercedes (Spanish, 'mercies', devotional name), Rahma / Rahmah (Arabic, 'mercy'), Rachamim / Racham (Hebrew, 'mercy/compassion'), Miséricorde (French, liturgical form).
Yes, very popular — Mercy ranked #1 in Ireland in 2022, and appears in official birth registries across 7 countries.
Mercy ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2022).
Mercy's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #294 in 2014 to #269 in 2024 in Canada.
Yes — at least 1 celebrity couple has chosen Mercy for their child, including Madonna.