Jerry

Meaning & Origin

Meaning: Spear; Rule

Background: The name Jerry originates as a diminutive of the name Jeremiah, which is derived from the Hebrew name Yirmeyahu, meaning 'God will exalt.' In English contexts, Jerry has also become a standalone name and is associated as a variant of the name Gerald, meaning 'spear ruler.'

At a glance

Quick stats based on the history of this name.

Lifetime rank
#52
Total births
632,139
Most popular decade
1940s (516,693 births)
10-year trend
↓ Falling (-413 ranks)
Years in Top 100
58
First recorded year
1880

Gender usage

97.3% male 2.7% female

Stats by gender

Male

First year
1880
First year births
136
First year rank
#99
Peak year
1947
Peak year births
18,791
Peak rank
#20
Most recent year
2024
Recent year births
277
Recent rank
#865

Female

First year
1899
First year births
7
First year rank
#1,278
Peak year
1943
Peak year births
626
Peak rank
#281
Most recent year
2017
Recent year births
6
Recent rank
#14,119

Births over time

Number of babies given this name each year.

Rank over time

Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).

Related links