Perry
A unisex given name. A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
Every Perry since 1880 — 79,735 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Perry
Perry is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,373 in 2025 with 135 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 79,735 American babies have been named Perry. Its peak came in 1959, when 2,786 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Perry stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Perry year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 83 | #2,233 | 135 | #1,373 |
| 2024 | 104 | #1,921 | 161 | #1,240 |
| 2023 | 123 | #1,686 | 136 | #1,377 |
| 2022 | 102 | #1,952 | 137 | #1,373 |
| 2021 | 108 | #1,858 | 145 | #1,302 |
| 2020 | 88 | #2,093 | 146 | #1,261 |
| 2019 | 101 | #1,947 | 133 | #1,352 |
| 2018 | 80 | #2,293 | 135 | #1,338 |
| 2017 | 97 | #2,032 | 147 | #1,248 |
| 2016 | 88 | #2,202 | 122 | #1,430 |
| 2015 | 87 | #2,189 | 140 | #1,280 |
| 2014 | 69 | #2,576 | 151 | #1,216 |
| 2013 | 63 | #2,758 | 139 | #1,259 |
| 2012 | 62 | #2,827 | 144 | #1,233 |
| 2011 | 40 | #3,822 | 149 | #1,192 |
| 2010 | 32 | #4,577 | 131 | #1,315 |
| 2009 | 29 | #5,057 | 163 | #1,133 |
| 2008 | 28 | #5,244 | 166 | #1,109 |
| 2007 | 31 | #4,778 | 184 | #1,026 |
| 2006 | 30 | #4,770 | 195 | #957 |
| 2005 | 34 | #4,178 | 193 | #915 |
| 2004 | 32 | #4,357 | 226 | #800 |
| 2003 | 25 | #5,058 | 217 | #801 |
| 2002 | 19 | #6,066 | 231 | #750 |
| 2001 | 25 | #4,798 | 245 | #719 |
| 2000 | 30 | #4,151 | 263 | #679 |
| 1995 | 29 | #3,751 | 342 | #549 |
| 1990 | 22 | #4,477 | 473 | #455 |
| 1985 | 21 | #3,947 | 521 | #354 |
| 1980 | 21 | #3,805 | 443 | #387 |
| 1975 | 13 | #4,776 | 488 | #350 |
| 1970 | 22 | #3,085 | 845 | #263 |
| 1965 | 25 | #2,451 | 1,364 | #186 |
| 1960 | 43 | #1,742 | 2,415 | #146 |
| 1955 | 22 | #2,389 | 1,451 | #183 |
| 1950 | 35 | #1,593 | 1,096 | #193 |
| 1945 | 25 | #1,693 | 683 | #208 |
| 1940 | 27 | #1,507 | 553 | #225 |
| 1935 | 23 | #1,597 | 517 | #227 |
| 1930 | 17 | #2,091 | 581 | #221 |
| 1925 | 28 | #1,599 | 568 | #231 |
| 1920 | 25 | #1,693 | 542 | #233 |
| 1915 | 14 | #2,230 | 478 | #218 |
| 1910 | 10 | #1,602 | 125 | #207 |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,879 | 104 | #180 |
| 1900 | — | — | 142 | #148 |
| 1895 | — | — | 97 | #160 |
| 1890 | — | — | 108 | #134 |
| 1885 | — | — | 115 | #120 |
| 1880 | — | — | 134 | #101 |
Famous people named Perry
- Perry Como Singer · 1912–2001
- Perry Anderson Philosopher · b. 1938
- Perry King Actor · b. 1948
- Perry Christie Politician · b. 1943
- Perry Farrell Musician · b. 1959
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Perry mean?
A unisex given name. A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Perry in 2025?
Perry ranked #1,373 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 135 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Perry?
79,735 babies have been named Perry in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Perry most popular?
Perry peaked in 1959, when 2,786 newborns received the name.
Is Perry a boy or girl name?
Perry is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 95% of babies with the name.
Is the name Perry rising or falling?
Perry has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Perry?
Well-known people named Perry include Perry Como (singer), Perry Anderson (philosopher), Perry King (actor).