Jerry

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Jerry is a diminutive of Gerald or Jerome, with Germanic roots meaning 'spear ruler' (Gerald) or Greek origins meaning 'sacred name' (Jerome). It became a popular given name in its own right during the mid-20th century.

Current Popularity

#907 for boys

in the United States (2025)

Projected 2026: #943, likely #866 to #1020

↗Declining

Popularity over time

188019502020
Recent years · births per year

Dashed bar: 2026 (projected): 252. How this is calculated

Yearly values
  • 2011: 724
  • 2012: 620
  • 2013: 636
  • 2014: 656
  • 2015: 603
  • 2016: 597
  • 2017: 496
  • 2018: 455
  • 2019: 381
  • 2020: 457
  • 2021: 354
  • 2022: 341
  • 2023: 287
  • 2024: 279
  • 2025: 262
  • 2026 (projected): 252

Good to Know

Common nicknames: Jer, J, Jare
  • •Easy to spell and pronounce across most languages
  • •Has a warm, down-to-earth quality that ages well
  • •Often associated with mid-century America but remains timeless
  • •Can stand alone or serve as a nickname for more formal names

Famous People

J

Jerry Seinfeld

Comedian and actor

J

Jerry Garcia

Musician and Grateful Dead founder

J

Jerry Lewis

Actor and comedian

J

Jerry Rice

Hall of Fame NFL wide receiver

Statistics

615,102

Total births since 1880

1947

Peak year

Discovery

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