Meridith as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Meridith

What is the meaning of the name Meridith ?

The baby name Meridith is a Unisex name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmɛrɪdɪθ/ (MER-ih-dith).

Meridith is Welsh in Origin.

Meridith is a modern spelling of Meredith, ultimately from the medieval Welsh personal name Maredudd (later Meredydd), formed from elements meaning “great” (mawr) and “lord, ruler” (udd). The sense “great ruler” predominates in scholarly treatments, though folk etymology has sometimes linked it to “sea,” a view with less support. The name also gave rise to the Welsh surname Meredith through patronymic formation.

In Wales the given name was long masculine; with Anglicization it spread to England and, later, North America, where it became firmly unisex and especially common for girls in the mid-to-late 20th century. The Meridith spelling emerged alongside other variants such as Merideth, Meredyth, and Meredeth, while Meredith remains standard. Older Welsh spellings Maredudd and Meredydd survive in historical records. Nicknames include Meri, Merry, and Red; the name’s poised sound suits contemporary tastes.