The inhabitants of Merelava call their own island Mwerlap, more accurately N̄wërlap [ŋʷɞrˈlap].

The name Merelava or M̄ere Lava reflects the way it is called in the neighboring Mota language ‒ phonetically [ŋ͡mʷerelaβa].

It is formed by a basaltic stratovolcano, which reaches in Mount Teu, also called Star Peak, a height of 883 m above the sea level.

Other villages, starting clockwise at Tesmet, are Levetmise (northwest), Lekweal (north), Lewetneak (northeast), and Aot (southeast, second largest).

Merelava was first sighted by Europeans during the Spanish expedition of Pedro Fernández de Quirós, from 25 to 29 April 1606.