Curry
A name commonly used in India and Sri Lanka, derived from the Tamil word meaning "sauce".
Name Census estimates that about 1,123 living Americans carry the first name Curry. It is a predominantly male name (94.8% of registrations). The average person named Curry today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Curry births was 1977 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Curry. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 305,213 Americans
Peak year
1977
34 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,075
Tracked since 1896
Gender
Gender distribution for Curry
Curry leans heavily male at 94.8% of total registrations, but 85 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Curry as a male name
- Ranked #10,075 in 2024
- 7 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1970 (30 births)
Curry as a female name
- Ranked #15,890 in 2001
- 5 female births in 2001
- Peak: 1976 (9 births)
Popularity
Curry: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Curry from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 14 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 262 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Curry by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Curry during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Currys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Louisiana, Alabama, Texas recorded the most babies named Curry, while Georgia, Texas, Alabama recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 21 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Curry
The given name Curry is derived from the Old French word "curie," which means "kitchen" or "cooking place." This term originated from the Latin word "coquere," meaning "to cook." The name gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in England and France, where it was often associated with individuals involved in culinary professions or those working in kitchens.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Curry can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this record, the name appears as "Curi" or "Curie," suggesting its connection to the culinary realm.
Throughout history, the name Curry has been associated with various notable figures. One of the most famous individuals bearing this name was Thomas Curry (1654-1728), an English writer and clergyman known for his works on religious and philosophical topics. Another prominent figure was James Curry (1756-1819), an American Revolutionary War soldier and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia.
In the realm of art and literature, John Curry (1949-1994) was a renowned British figure skater and choreographer who won numerous accolades, including an Olympic gold medal in 1976. Additionally, Alice Curry (1866-1937) was an American author and journalist known for her work in the early 20th century.
The name Curry also has a connection to the world of sports. Walter Curry (1892-1920) was an American baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Athletics and the New York Yankees in the early 20th century. More recently, Stephen Curry (born 1988) is a highly acclaimed professional basketball player who has won multiple NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors.
While these are just a few examples, the name Curry has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, each contributing to its rich tapestry of associations and cultural significance.
People
Curry + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Curry as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Curry: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Curry?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,123 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Curry going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 305,213 US residents.
Is Curry a common name?
We classify Curry as "Rare". It ranks above 90.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,647 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Curry most popular?
The single biggest year for Curry was 1977, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Curry is about 48 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Curry a male name?
Yes, 94.8% of people registered as Curry in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.