boy's name
Perry
PEH-ree
- Origin English
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 81,340
Scotland
#826
2021 births
Perry means at the pear tree, from an English place name — and our data marks it reviving, at 1373rd in the United States and 1681st in England and Wales. It peaked in 1959, and holds 80,868 lifetime births.
- Perry is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 1959, when 2,786 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 15,208 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Perry over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,261 |
| 1890s | 1,009 |
| 1900s | 1,095 |
| 1910s | 3,781 |
| 1920s | 6,068 |
| 1930s | 5,599 |
| 1940s | 8,052 |
| 1950s | 17,364 |
| 1960s | 15,356 |
| 1970s | 5,491 |
| 1980s | 4,823 |
| 1990s | 3,892 |
| 2000s | 2,366 |
| 2010s | 2,110 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,468 |
What Perry means
Perry means at the pear tree, or dweller by the pear tree. The Old English pirige names the tree, and the name locates a person by it rather than describing them.
Where Perry comes from
Perry is an English place name and surname from pirige, a pear tree, marking someone who lived by one — a common way of fixing an address before street numbers existed. A separate Perry anglicizes the Welsh ap Herry, son of Harry, which is a completely different name that fell together with it. Perry is also the drink made from pears, the cider equivalent, which shares the root directly.
Perry in use
Perry peaked in the United States in 1959, when 2,786 babies were registered, and our data marks it reviving. It charts in three of the seven markets we track — 1,373rd in the United States on 218 births and 1681st in England and Wales on 16 — across 81,340 lifetime births. About 5 percent of recorded births are female.
How popular is Perry?
In 2025, Perry was given to 218 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Perry is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Perry
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Perry also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Perry over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Perry in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Perry
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Perry — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Perry
What does the name Perry mean?
At the pear tree — from the Old English pirige.
Is Perry the drink related?
Yes — perry is made from pears, the cider equivalent, from the same root.
Is Perry ever Welsh?
A separate Perry anglicizes ap Herry, son of Harry, and fell together with the English one.
Is Perry coming back?
Our data marks it reviving, at 1373rd in the United States.
How popular is the name Perry?
In 2025, Perry was given to 218 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Perry a girl's or a boy's name?
Perry is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Perry?
Perry has 2 syllables.
When was Perry most popular?
Perry peaked in 1959, when 2,786 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Perry a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Perry currently ranks #1,373 in the United States. After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.