Perry
Perry was the 1373rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 135 babies. Its best year was 1880, when it ranked 101st; the most babies were born in 1959 (2,751). Over the last ten years it has moved down 93 places. More babies were named Perry in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning "pear tree" · Old English, English
Say it PAIR-ee /ˈpɛri/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,373 boys, down 112 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 135boys
- Girls and boys
- 42% girls, 58% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19592,751 babies
- Total since 1880
- 79,735babies recorded
What does the name Perry mean?
Perry is an English surname used as a first name for boys and, less often, girls. Wiktionary derives the surname from Old English pyrige, "pear tree", originally for someone living by a pear tree. Like many English surnames it moved into use as a first name, mainly for boys; in the US it was most common in the 1950s, and it has recently been given more often to girls.
pyrige (Old English, “pear tree”)
How sure is this? Probable. Wiktionary gives only the "pear tree" origin; surname dictionaries (not consulted) may list other sources.
Related names: Parry.
See also: English names, names that mean tree.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Perry', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Perry (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Perry popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,233 | #1,373 | 83 | 135 |
| 2020 | #2,093 | #1,261 | 88 | 146 |
| 2010 | #4,577 | #1,315 | 32 | 131 |
| 2000 | #4,151 | #679 | 30 | 263 |
| 1990 | #4,477 | #455 | 22 | 473 |
| 1980 | #3,805 | #387 | 21 | 443 |
| 1970 | #3,085 | #263 | 22 | 845 |
| 1960 | #1,742 | #146 | 43 | 2,415 |
| 1950 | #1,593 | #193 | 35 | 1,096 |
| 1940 | #1,507 | #225 | 27 | 553 |
| 1930 | #2,091 | #221 | 17 | 581 |
| 1920 | #1,693 | #233 | 25 | 542 |
| 1910 | #1,602 | #207 | 10 | 125 |
| 1900 | — | #148 | — | 142 |
| 1890 | — | #134 | — | 108 |
| 1880 | — | #101 | — | 134 |
How popular is Perry, counting every spelling?
Perry has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #1,311 for boys in 2025, against #1,373 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Perry?
135 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Perry (0.04 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Perry born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 62 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Perry.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Perry?
About 44,600 people born in the US named Perry are alive today, with a median age of 62; half are between 44 and 69. That makes Perry a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Perry by state
How common Perry was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Georgia (1.6×). In 27 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Perry: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Perry, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Perry · Sibling names for Perry
Questions about the name Perry
What does Perry mean?
Perry means “"pear tree"” (Old English, English origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Perry?
Perry was the 1373rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 135 babies. Its best year was 1880, when it ranked 101st; the most babies were born in 1959 (2,751). Over the last ten years it has moved down 93 places. More babies were named Perry in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Perry a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 42% girls, 58% boys given the name Perry in the US.
Where is Perry most popular?
In 2021–2025, Perry was most common in Montana (0.28 per 1,000 boys), followed by Georgia and Virginia.