The name Cherry originated as an English nickname derived from the word for the sweet red fruit that grows on trees. The Old English word for cherry was "cirse" which evolved into the Middle English "cherise" before taking its modern spelling. It first emerged as a given name in the 16th century, perhaps as a descriptive nickname for someone with rosy red cheeks or lips.

The earliest recorded use of Cherry as a first name dates back to 1594 in parish records from Suffolk, England. One of the earliest bearers was Cherry Brandon, born in 1623 in Nayland, Suffolk. She married John Deane and their descendants emigrated to America in the late 1600s, helping to introduce the name to the New World.

A famous early bearer was Cherry Ripe, a nickname used by the 17th century English poet Robert Herrick for an idealized country maiden in his 1648 poem "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time". The line "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying: And this same flower that smiles to-day, To-morrow will be dying" made Cherry Ripe a romantic symbol of youthful beauty.

Other early examples include Cherry Kearton (1871-1940), an English pioneer of nature photography and co-founder of the first wildlife documentary film company. American Cherry Jones (born 1956) is a celebrated stage and screen actress who won a Tony Award for The Heiress in 1995 and Emmy Awards for her roles in 24 and The Handmaid's Tale.

Cherry Wilder (1944-2002) from New Zealand was known internationally as the author of acclaimed memoirs and novels reflecting on her Maori and European heritage. British dancer Cherry Khouri (1942-1989) found fame in the 1960s in the vanguard of contemporary styles like jazz ballet. Historical figures with the name also include Cherry Marshall (1703-1751), an English soprano of the Baroque era who premièred works by Handel.