Jerry is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Jerry means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Jerry across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Jerry has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Jerry is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “spear ruler”. a short form of Gerald or Jerome.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 632,416 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 533 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 9 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 3 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 269 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Jerry per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1947 (19,263/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (29/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2007 (11/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2015 (6/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2020 (3/yr).
Jerry has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1947, when it ranked #36 nationally (given to 19,263 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1940s.
Jeri · Jerri · Jere · Jerrie · Geary · Jerre · Jory · Jeree
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