Keri
Keri is a Hebrew term which literally means "accident" or "mishap", and is used as a euphemism for seminal emission. The term is generally used in Jewish law to refer specifically to the regulations and rituals concerning the emission of semen, whether by nocturnal emission, or by sexual activity.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Keri
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Keri is a Hebrew term which literally means "accident" or "mishap", and is used as a euphemism for seminal emission. The term is generally used in Jewish law to refer specifically to the regulations and rituals concerning the emission of semen, whether by nocturnal emission, or by sexual activity.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Keri
The earliest SSA record of Keri as a baby girl name dates back to 1946, when 7 babies received it. 1975 was its biggest year on record, with 1,502 newborns named Keri — #174 in the national rankings. About 38% of every Keri on record arrived during the 1970s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Keri ranks #9,096 for baby girls with 9 births, falling sharply (-44%). All told, over 32K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1940s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Keri
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Keri. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Keri
Phonetically similar names — useful when Keri 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 Keri
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About the name Keri
Keri is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1946 and has accumulated 32K births in the dataset. Keri's peak popularity came in 1975 when it ranked #173. Use the chart and map above to compare Keri's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1975 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.