Kerry: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Kerry is an Irish girl's name meaning “dark-haired.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Meaning
- Dark-haired
- Gender
- Girl
How do you pronounce Kerry?
Kerry is pronounced KER-ee. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Kerry mean?
Ciar means “dark” and probably implies “dark hair and brown eyes.” County Kerry means “the land of the descendant of Ciar” who was the love-child of the High King Fergus Mac Roth and the legendary Queen Maebh.
How popular is Kerry in Ireland?
Kerry wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 2020, when 3 baby girls got the name. It was most popular in 2004, when 30 baby girls were named Kerry, No. 149 that year. It first appears in the records in 1968, with 4 baby girls.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3 | No. 834 |
| 2018 | 3 | No. 896 |
| 2013 | 4 | No. 747 |
| 2011 | 7 | No. 550 |
| 2009 | 5 | No. 641 |
| 2008 | 17 | No. 291 |
| 2007 | 12 | No. 348 |
| 2006 | 21 | No. 210 |
| 2005 | 26 | No. 173 |
| 2004 | 30 | No. 149 |
| 2003 | 20 | No. 189 |
| 2002 | 25 | No. 160 |
| 2001 | 21 | No. 187 |
| 2000 | 9 | No. 303 |
| 1999 | 18 | No. 194 |
| 1998 | 6 | No. 345 |
| 1997 | 19 | No. 226 |
| 1996 | 17 | No. 227 |
| 1995 | 9 | No. 310 |
| 1994 | 11 | No. 282 |
| 1993 | 11 | No. 286 |
| 1992 | 22 | No. 193 |
| 1991 | 20 | No. 197 |
| 1990 | 13 | No. 257 |
| 1989 | 7 | No. 353 |
| 1988 | 7 | No. 359 |
| 1987 | 9 | No. 329 |
| 1986 | 8 | No. 334 |
| 1985 | 11 | No. 292 |
| 1984 | 15 | No. 252 |
| 1983 | 10 | No. 313 |
| 1982 | 14 | No. 280 |
| 1981 | 16 | No. 259 |
| 1980 | 19 | No. 239 |
| 1979 | 17 | No. 253 |
| 1978 | 18 | No. 239 |
| 1977 | 21 | No. 220 |
| 1976 | 12 | No. 271 |
| 1975 | 17 | No. 232 |
| 1974 | 15 | No. 255 |
| 1973 | 7 | No. 349 |
| 1972 | 6 | No. 352 |
| 1971 | 5 | No. 383 |
| 1970 | 10 | No. 272 |
| 1969 | 6 | No. 322 |
| 1968 | 4 | No. 357 |
Kerry in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Kerry, letter by letter.
- CColl, hazel
- EEadhadh, aspen
- RRuis, elder
- RRuis, elder
- IIodhadh, yew
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Kerry
Questions about Kerry
- How do you pronounce Kerry?
- Kerry is pronounced KER-ee. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- What does Kerry mean?
- Kerry means “dark-haired.”
- Is Kerry a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Kerry is a girl's name.