Find out how popular the first name Kerry has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Kerry by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Kerry is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 63% of people named Kerry being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 35 male babies and 13 female babies born with the name Kerry.

It's also interesting to see that despite Kerry being historically a mostly female name, the most recent data from 2023 shows a shift in the trend, with more male babies being named Kerry.

The history of the first name Kerry

Kerry is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name Ciarraí, which originated in County Kerry, Ireland. The name Ciarraí comes from the Irish Gaelic word 'ciar' meaning black or dark. It is believed to have been derived from the dark soil found in the region of County Kerry.

The earliest recorded use of the name Kerry dates back to the 6th century AD, when it was mentioned in the Annals of Inisfallen, an Irish chronicle. The name was used to refer to the people and territory of County Kerry, located in the southwestern part of Ireland.

In ancient Irish mythology, Kerry is associated with the legendary figure of Ciar, who was said to be the founder of the Ciarraige, a Gaelic Irish dynasty that ruled parts of County Kerry in the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Kerry was Kery O'Daly (c. 1180 – c. 1238), an Irish poet and historian from County Kerry. He is known for his work, the "Poem on the Tribes of Ireland," which is a valuable source of information on the genealogies and histories of Irish clans.

In the 16th century, Kerry O'Daly (c. 1510 – c. 1590) was a notable Irish poet and scholar from County Kerry. He was a member of the O'Daly clan, a renowned family of poets and historians.

Another notable figure with the name Kerry was Kerry Ingram (born 1999), an English actress best known for her role as Shireen Baratheon in the HBO series "Game of Thrones."

Kerry Conran (born 1971) is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his debut film "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" (2004), a critically acclaimed science fiction adventure film.

Kerry Washington (born 1977) is an American actress, producer, and director. She is known for her roles in films such as "Ray" (2004) and "Django Unchained" (2012), as well as the television series "Scandal" (2012-2018), for which she received several accolades, including two Primetime Emmy nominations.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Kerry was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kerry, please contact us.

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