Kerr
Of Scottish origin meaning "from the marsh".
Name Census estimates that about 22 living Americans carry the first name Kerr. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kerr today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kerr births was 1972 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kerr. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Kerr. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
22
~ 1 in 15,579,743 Americans
Peak year
1972
7 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2023 SSA rank
#11,575
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Kerr: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kerr from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 7 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kerr 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 Kerr during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kerr
The name Kerr has its origins in the Gaelic language and culture, originating as a surname in Scotland. It is derived from the Gaelic word "cerr," which means "left-handed" or "awkward." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was left-handed or considered clumsy or awkward.
The earliest recorded use of the name Kerr dates back to the 12th century in Scotland. It was initially a surname associated with the influential Kerr family, who were prominent landowners and noblemen in the Scottish Borders region. The Kerr family played a significant role in Scottish history, with members holding various positions of power and influence.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Kerr was Sir Robert Kerr (c. 1350-1420), a Scottish nobleman who served as the High Sheriff of Roxburghshire in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Sir Andrew Kerr (c. 1480-1545), who held the position of Lord Warden of the Scottish Marches and played a crucial role in the Rough Wooing, a series of conflicts between Scotland and England in the 16th century.
As the Kerr surname gained prominence, it also began to be used as a given name, particularly in Scotland and areas with Scottish influence. One notable individual with the given name Kerr was Kerr Eby (1789-1873), a Canadian teacher and farmer who played a role in the early settlement of Waterloo County in Ontario.
Another prominent figure was Kerr Cunningham (1887-1976), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives and was instrumental in the establishment of the Australian Broadcasting Commission (now known as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation).
In the literary world, Kerr Eby Quinn (1889-1968) was an American author and educator who wrote several books on education and teaching methods, including "The Hilltop on the Marne" and "The Masculine Muse."
The name Kerr has also been associated with various fields, such as sports and entertainment. Kerr Kristate (1945-2016) was an American professional basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association and the NBA, while Kerr Smith (born 1972) is an American actor known for his roles in television series like "Dawson's Creek" and "Life Unexpected."
It's important to note that while the name Kerr has Scottish origins, it has since been adopted and used in various cultures and countries around the world, often with different spellings or variations based on local languages and traditions.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Kerr
People
Kerr + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kerr as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kerr: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kerr?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 22 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kerr 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 15,579,743 US residents.
Is Kerr a common name?
We classify Kerr as "Very Rare". It ranks above 41.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 23 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kerr most popular?
The single biggest year for Kerr was 1972, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kerr is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kerr a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kerr 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.