Kerry
Boy name · #2459 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Kerry? In official American birth records, Kerry has been tracked continuously since 1921, giving it 104 years of documented American history.
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: Official national birth records.
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
How old is the name Kerry?
In official American birth records, the name Kerry first appeared in 1921 (over 104 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 104 years.
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: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.