Jerry

Meaning: Ruler with the spear
Origin: Germanic — Short form of Gerald

Meaning: Brave with the spear
Origin: Germanic — Or of Gerard

Meaning: The Lord exalts
Origin: Hebrew — Or of Jeremy and similar names

Boy's name · #907 in the US (2025) · Vintage

Popularity over time

Jerry is an heirloom: its strongest era came around 1940, when it ranked #14. It has thinned since but never left the records — about 615,000 boys since 1880, ranked #907 today. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Jerry is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 32 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Jerry ranks in other countries and regions.

#372 in Ireland (2025) · #762 in Ecuador (2025) · #1,447 in Sweden (2025) · #1,705 in England & Wales (2025) · #2,269 in Canada (2025) · #4,661 in France (2025) · #3,955 in Italy (2023) · #2,630 in Austria (2021) · #392 in N. Ireland (2020) · #470 in Scotland (2015) · #509 in Puerto Rico (2012) · #960 in Belgium (1999) and 1 more.

Famous Jerrys

Jerry Lewis — American comedian, actor and filmmaker (1926–2017)
Jerry Seinfeld — American comedian and actor (born 1954)
Jerry Lee Lewis — American rock 'n' roll musician (1935–2022)
Jerry Goldsmith — American film composer (1929–2004)
Jerry Rawlings — Leader of Ghana in 1979 and from 1981 to 2001 (1947–2020)
Jerry O'Connell — American actor and TV show host (born 1974)
Jerry Stiller — American comedian and actor (1927–2020)
Jerry West — American basketball player and executive (1938–2024)
Jerry Springer — American TV personality and politician (1944–2023)
Jerry Garcia — American guitarist and singer (1942–1995)

In stories & tradition

Jerry — Fictional mouse from the Tom and Jerry animated series
Jerry (Mister No) — Mister No (comics)
Jerry Cotton — Jerry Cotton (German novel series)

What Jerrys become

Among 2,666 notable people named Jerry:

Sports figures appear 2.23× more often than among typical names — e.g. Jerry West, American basketball player and executive (1938–2024).

Similar names: Jeriah · Douglas · Jeffery · Terry · Larry · Gary

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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