Merna as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Merna

What is the meaning of the name Merna ?

The baby name Merna is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced MER-nuh; IPA: /ˈmɜːrnə/ (UK), /ˈmɝnə/ (US).

Merna is Irish in Origin.

Merna is a feminine name with intertwined roots. As a variant of Myrna, it goes back to Irish Gaelic Muirne, a term glossed as “beloved” or “tender” (also “merry” in older sources); in legend, Muirne is the mother of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill. The spelling also overlaps with South Slavic Mirna, meaning “peaceful,” from the root mir “peace,” and in some communities it serves as a clipped or respelled form of Marina.

In English-speaking records, Merna appears from the late 19th century and saw modest use in the United States and Canada through the 1910s–1940s before becoming rare. Its profile rose alongside Myrna, helped by Hollywood visibility, while the e-spelling was familiarized by Midwestern place names. Variants and related forms include Myrna, Mirna, Muirne, Murna, and Marina; diminutives like Mernie occur. Meanings cluster around “beloved” and “peaceful.”