Entry № 1306 · Irish origin

Kerry Kerry — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ KEHR-ee /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Irish
Meaning
"Dark / dark-haired (Kerry Washington, Scandal Emmy nominee)"
Syllables
2
Rank · US 2025
№ 0
First recorded
Medieval (Irish)

A name that means "dark / dark-haired (kerry washington, scandal emmy nominee)".

Kerry is from the Irish County Kerry (*Ciarraí*, "the people of Ciar") — from *ciar*, "dark, black." **A top-100 US baby name from 1968 to 1974, peaking at #74 in 1969**. **Kerry Washington (born 1977)** — **American actress; played Olivia Pope on ABC's *Scandal* (2012-2018) — one of the first Black women to lead a network drama in nearly 40 years; the role earned her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (2013, 2014) and a Golden Globe nomination**. **Founded production company Simpson Street; produces Hulu's *Little Fires Everywhere* (2020) for which she received another Emmy nomination**. **Founder of the When We All Vote initiative (2018) co-chaired with Michelle Obama**. **Kerry Russell** — actually Keri Russell (different spelling). **Kerry Madsen** — Australian sprintcar racer. **Kerry-Anne Kennerley** — Australian TV host. **Kerry Strug (born 1977)** — American gymnast; her iconic one-footed vault landing on an injured ankle at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics secured Team USA's first Olympic team gold in women's gymnastics; she was carried to the podium by coach Béla Károlyi. The moment is one of the most-watched Olympic memories of the 1990s.

Featured throughout American TV, gymnastics, and Irish heritage.

Dark / dark-haired. Kerry Washington's Olivia Pope; Kerry Strug's one-footed vault at the 1996 Olympics.

The name in its native script.

Kerry
Transliteration
Kerry
Pronunciation
/ ˈkɛr.i /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Kerry stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 0 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 74 in 1969
Babies named Kerry · last year
130 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1939
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · #74 NOW · —

Kerrys before her.

Real people
Kerry Washington
American actress (Scandal).
born 1977
Kerry Strug
American Olympic gymnast.
born 1977
In fiction
Olivia Pope
Scandal (Kerry Washington).
2012

Names connected to Kerry.

The number behind Kerry.

3

The Communicator

Kerry reduces to three — the number of Scandal.

Why families chose this name.

"Washington's dark. Five letters. Kerry."
Catherine · Mother of one · The Bronx