Girl · #15,243 in 2026

Keriah

Keriah is ritual tearing of one’s clothes as a sign of mourning or grief. This practice originated in the ancient Near East. and continues in various cultures to the present day.

Current Rank
#15,243
Peak Rank
#13,843 (2003)
Total Babies
11
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2003
First Year
2024
Last Year
2003
Peak Year
#13843
Peak Rank
11
Total Count
2
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Keriah

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

Keriah is ritual tearing of one’s clothes as a sign of mourning or grief. This practice originated in the ancient Near East. and continues in various cultures to the present day.

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

Origin & history
The first described instance of keriah in the Torah appears with Reuben, who tore his garments upon discovering that Joseph was missing from the pit. Subsequently, his father Jacob also performed keriah as part of his mourning upon hearing the (false) news of Joseph's death: "Then Jacob tore his garments, put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned his son many days". The act of keriah is mentioned approximately 35 times in the Hebrew Bible. While most instances are reactions to the death of a close relative, it is also performed in response to other calamities or transgressions. Examples include:

The Story of Keriah

Keriah first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2003, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2003, when 6 Keriahs were born — ranking #13,843 that year. As of 2026, Keriah ranks #15,243 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 11 Keriahs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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No data

Names that sound like Keriah

Phonetically similar names — useful when Keriah 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 Keriah

What does the name Keriah mean?
Keriah is ritual tearing of one’s clothes as a sign of mourning or grief. This practice originated in the ancient Near East. and continues in various cultures to the present day.
How popular is Keriah in 2026?
In 2026, Keriah ranks #15,243 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Keriah most popular?
Keriah reached its peak popularity in 2003, ranking #13,843 that year with 6 babies given the name.
Is Keriah a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Keriah is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Keriah?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Keriah include Lanni, Kristana, Vasudha. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Lanni
Peak #13843
👧
Kristana
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👧
Vasudha
Peak #13843
👧
Dashiell
Peak #13843
👧
Souad
Peak #13843
👧
Kiayana
Peak #13843
👧
Aubyn
Peak #13843
👧
Anoush
Peak #13843

About the name Keriah

Keriah is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2003 and has accumulated 11 births in the dataset. Keriah's peak popularity came in 2003 when it ranked #13,843. Use the chart and map above to compare Keriah'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.