Proto-Germanic origin
Source-reportedMost probably mēri (“great, renowned”, from Proto-West Germanic *mērijaz) + birin (“she-bear”) (cognate with Old English biren, Dutch berin, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *birinī, from *berô + *-inī), but in this form indistinguishable from a stem based on meri (“sea”) or *mēri (“boundary, cognate with Old Dutch *mēri”). First attested in the 8th or 9th C. CE
Sources for this account (1)
- Wiktionary: MeripirinCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

