Merlot suna ne da ke nufin nau'in inabi mai launin shuɗi-baƙar fata da ake amfani da su wajen yin giya, wanda kuma shine sunan jan giya da ake samu daga wannan inabin. Kalmar "merlot" ta samo asali ne daga Faransanci, inda aka samo ta daga kalmar Occitan "merlot," wanda ke nufin "saurayi blackbird."
