Kerry
Boy name · #2459 in 2025 · Very rare
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. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kerry against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kerry in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kerry is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kerry will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kerry is most common
State-level data for Kerry is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
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.