Kerry
Kerry or Kerri is a unisex English language given name of Gaelic (Irish) origin.
Meaning & Origin of Kerry
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kerry or Kerri is a unisex English language given name of Gaelic (Irish) origin.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kerry
As a girl name
Kerry first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1920, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1971, when 2,206 Kerrys were born — ranking #145 that year. As of 2026, Kerry ranks #9,808 for girls with 6 births, falling sharply (-51%). In total, more than 49K Kerrys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Kerry first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1921, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1960, when 2,176 Kerrys were born — ranking #158 that year. As of 2026, Kerry ranks #2,671 for boys with 49 births, holding steady (+2%). In total, more than 50K Kerrys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kerry
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kerry 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 Kerry
What does the name Kerry mean?
How popular is Kerry in 2026?
When was Kerry most popular?
In which U.S. states is Kerry most popular?
Is Kerry a unisex name?
What names go well with Kerry?
About the name Kerry
Kerry is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1921 and has accumulated 50K births in the dataset. Kerry's peak popularity came in 1960 when it ranked #158. Use the chart and map above to compare Kerry's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1960 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.