Girl · #15,031 in 2026

Jheri

The Jheri curl is a permanent wave hairstyle that was popular among Black Americans during the 1980s and early 1990s. Invented by the hairdresser Jheri Redding, the Jheri curl gives the wearer a glossy, loosely curled look.

Current Rank
#15,031
Peak Rank
#5,348 (1985)
Total Babies
148
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1980
First Year
2000
Last Year
1985
Peak Year
#5348
Peak Rank
148
Total Count
16
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Jheri

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

The Jheri curl is a permanent wave hairstyle that was popular among Black Americans during the 1980s and early 1990s. Invented by the hairdresser Jheri Redding, the Jheri curl gives the wearer a glossy, loosely curled look.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Jheri

Jheri first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1980, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1985, when 13 Jheris were born — ranking #5,348 that year. As of 2026, Jheri ranks #15,031 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 148 Jheris have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Jheri

Phonetically similar names — useful when Jheri is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Jheri

What does the name Jheri mean?
The Jheri curl is a permanent wave hairstyle that was popular among Black Americans during the 1980s and early 1990s. Invented by the hairdresser Jheri Redding, the Jheri curl gives the wearer a glossy, loosely curled look.
How popular is Jheri in 2026?
In 2026, Jheri ranks #15,031 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Jheri most popular?
Jheri reached its peak popularity in 1985, ranking #5,348 that year with 13 babies given the name.
Is Jheri a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Jheri is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Jheri?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Jheri include Jaclynne, Eun, Latise. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Jheri

Jheri is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1980 and has accumulated 148 births in the dataset. Jheri's peak popularity came in 1985 when it ranked #5,348. Use the chart and map above to compare Jheri's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.