Kerry
Boy name · #2459 in 2025 · Uniqueness 61/100
Kerry is currently the #2459 boy name in the United States — 55 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2189, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 32,727 boys born in 2025 was named Kerry.
The 104-year story
Kerry first appears in the Social Security records in 1921, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1960, when 2,176 boys were named Kerry — good for #158 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Kerry per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kerry against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kerry in class?
Kerry scores 61 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Kerry is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kerry is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kerrys were FL (7), TX (6), CA (5), IN (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Kerry
Statistically, parents drawn to Kerry tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Barry, Perry, Terry, Larry, and Kelly.
BarryPerryTerryLarryKellyJerryCaryKirby
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kerry | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 55 | #2451 |
| 2024 | 49 | #2674 |
| 2023 | 35 | #3347 |
| 2022 | 55 | #2493 |
| 2021 | 42 | #2918 |
| 2020 | 39 | #2980 |
| 2019 | 43 | #2851 |
| 2018 | 51 | #2507 |
| 2017 | 57 | #2295 |
| 2016 | 53 | #2412 |
| 2015 | 62 | #2189 |
| 2014 | 62 | #2175 |
| 2013 | 71 | #1942 |
| 2012 | 53 | #2380 |
| 2011 | 61 | #2145 |
| 2010 | 65 | #2069 |
| 2009 | 70 | #1990 |
| 2008 | 85 | #1760 |
| 2007 | 87 | #1721 |
| 2006 | 99 | #1519 |
| 2005 | 120 | #1282 |
| 2004 | 172 | #971 |
| 2003 | 112 | #1269 |
| 2002 | 130 | #1115 |
| 2001 | 142 | #1035 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kerry a popular boy name?
Kerry ranked #2459 among boys in 2025 with 55 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2189.
When was the name Kerry most popular?
Kerry peaked in 1960, when 2,176 American boys received the name (ranked #158 that year). Since 1960 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kerry?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 32,727 newborn American boys was named Kerry. It scores 61/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.