Meretlein

mair-reht-LEEN

Diminutive of Meret, German

"little pearl"

Meretlein Origin and Meaning

The name Meretlein is a girl's name meaning "little pearl".

This rare literary name appears in Gottfried Keller's 1855 novel Der grüne Heinrich (Green Henry). Fiesty and beautiful Meretlein lived in the woods and was constantly causing trouble. Ultimately, she died an early death.

Meretlein was the inspiration behind photographer Méret Oppenheimer's name. Oppenheimer was said to have appreciated her unconventional namesake, and did not take Meretlein's fate as a bad omen.