Kerra
An invented name perhaps of Irish origin, meaning uncertain.
Name Census estimates that about 1,101 living Americans carry the first name Kerra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kerra today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kerra births was 1997 (44 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kerra. 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 311,312 Americans
Peak year
1997
44 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2019 SSA rank
#14,703
Tracked since 1956
Popularity
Kerra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kerra from the 1950s through to the 2010s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 337 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1990s peak, Kerra remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kerra 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 Kerra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kerras live
Origin
Meaning and history of Kerra
The name Kerra is believed to have originated from the Old Norse language, spoken by the Norse people who inhabited Scandinavia and parts of modern-day Germany and France between the 8th and 13th centuries. The name is likely derived from the Old Norse word "kerra," which means "warrior" or "fighter."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kerra can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of stories and historical records from the 13th century. In the Saga of Grettir the Strong, a character named Kerra is mentioned as a skilled warrior who fought alongside the legendary Icelandic hero, Grettir.
During the Viking Age, from around the 8th to the 11th century, the name Kerra was commonly used among Norse communities, particularly in Iceland and Norway. It was a popular choice for parents who wished to instill the qualities of strength and bravery in their sons.
In the medieval period, the name Kerra appeared in various historical documents and records across Scandinavia. One notable figure was Kerra Magnusson, a Norwegian chieftain who lived in the 12th century and was known for his military prowess and leadership during the conflicts between rival clans.
Another historically significant Kerra was Kerra Thorvaldsdottir, an Icelandic poet and skald (court poet) who lived in the 13th century. She is renowned for her poetic works that celebrated Norse mythology and the exploits of Viking heroes.
In the 16th century, a Swedish nobleman named Kerra Sture played a crucial role in the Swedish War of Liberation against Denmark. He was a skilled military commander and is remembered for his bravery and strategic prowess on the battlefield.
Throughout history, the name Kerra has been associated with individuals who embodied the characteristics of strength, courage, and a warrior spirit. While its usage has declined in modern times, it remains a name with a rich historical legacy, particularly in the Norse and Scandinavian cultures.
People
Kerra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kerra 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
Kerra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kerra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,101 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kerra 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 311,312 US residents.
Is Kerra a common name?
We classify Kerra as "Rare". It ranks above 90.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,149 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kerra most popular?
The single biggest year for Kerra was 1997, when 44 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kerra is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kerra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kerra in the SSA data are female. 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.