Origin, Meaning, And History of Mercy
Mercy is a feminine name of Latin origin. It is derived from the English word mercy, which comes from the Latin merces, meaning ‘reward’ or ‘wages.’ Merces is a derivative of merx, ‘goods, wares.’ This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. Mercy encompasses acts of goodwill, forgiveness, and kindness across ethical, religious, social, and legal situations.
Mercy is also a variant of the French surname Mercier. The origin of this surname can be traced back to various locations called Mercy in Allier, Meurthe-et-Moselle, and Yonne. These place names are derived from the Latin personal names Marcius, Martius, or Mercius, combined with the locative suffix ‘-acum.’
这个名字可能与Marcius,from Marcus and is derived from the Roman god Mars. Thus it could mean ransom, virgin, or merciful in Latin.
Merci, Mercie, Mercia, Mercilla, Mercey, Mercina, and Mersey are some variations of the name.
The name Mercy appears frequently in popular culture. For example, in the world of literature, John Bunyan’s 1968 bookThe Pilgrim’s Progressfeatures Mercy, a kind-hearted and empathetic character. In the second part of The Pilgrim’s Progress, the journey of Christiana, the wife of Christian, along with their sons and a young woman named Mercy, is depicted as they embark on their own pilgrimage.
The ninth book by Nobel laureate Toni Morrison is titledA Mercy. Taking place during the late 17th century in colonial America, the narrative revolves around a European farmer, his acquired spouse, and their expanding household consisting of indentured or enslaved individuals of European, Native American, and African descent.
Blizzard Entertainment created the character Mercy for their popularOverwatchfranchise. Mercy made her debut upon the initial release of the first-person hero shooter video game named Overwatch in 2016. She reappeared in the franchise’s sequel, Overwatch 2, released in 2022.
How To Pronounce Mercy?
Famous People With The Name Mercy
- Mercy Dee WaltonAmerican jump blues pianist, singer and songwriter.
- Mercy Otis WarrenAmerican activist poet, playwright, and pamphleteer during the American Revolution.
- Mercy Banku AbangNigerian journalist, described as one of Nigeria’s most syndicated freelance journalists and Nigeria’s most syndicated storyteller. She is the 2017 United Nations (Dag Hammarksjold) Journalism Fellow.
Mercy On The Popularity Chart
Mercy has slowly risen in popularity and ranking over the years. Take a look at the two graphs below for more details.
Popularity Over Time
Mercy started climbing up the popularity chart from the late 80s and peaked in 2019 with 439 babies per million.
Source:Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
Mercy ranked its lowest in 1986 after which it gradually started improving in ranking. The name has remained in the top 1000 names since 2016.
Source:Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Mercy
If the sound of Mercy appeals to you, here are some more names that sound similar.
Popular Sibling Names For Mercy
Names With Similar Meaning As Mercy
If you like Mercy’s meaning and want to look at more names that carry its meaning, here is a list.
Infographic: Know The Name’s Personality As Per Numerology
How To Communicate The Name In Other Languages
In Nautical Flags
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In Sign Language
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In Braille Alphabet
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In Morse Code
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Name Numerology For Mercy
Frequently Asked Questions
1.这个名字的含义是什么Mercy?
The name Mercy means kindness, compassion, and benevolence.
2. What is the origin of the name Mercy?
Mercy has an English origin.
3. How to pronounce the name Mercy?
Mercy is pronounced as mer-cy.