Jerry
Meaning of Jerry
Jerry began life as a jaunty nickname for several stalwart classics—Gerald (“spear-ruler”), Jerome (“sacred name”), and even Jeremiah (“God will uplift”)—and over time it claimed its own spot on the birth certificate, the way a friendly neighbor pulls up a chair at the barbecue. Peaking in the 1940s and ’50s when every sandlot had a young Jerry swinging a bat, the name has since slipped down the charts, yet its easy, two-step sound keeps it feeling approachable and upbeat. Pop culture has sprinkled extra sparkle on it: think legendary receiver Jerry Rice sprinting into the end zone, comedian Jerry Seinfeld turning everyday moments into punch lines, or the perpetual cat-and-mouse antics of Tom and Jerry. Altogether, Jerry radiates an all-American, milk-and-cookies charm, while its roots whisper of saints and medieval knights—proof that a short name can wear a long history. For parents looking for something familiar but under-used, Jerry offers the comfort of a well-worn denim jacket with the promise of coming back into style.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as JER-ee (/ˈdʒəri/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Jerry
| Jerry Rice is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, having won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers. |
| Jerry Lewis, nicknamed "The King of Comedy," was a celebrated American entertainer and humanitarian whose career spanned seven decades. |
| Jerry Garcia - Jerome John Garcia co-founded the Grateful Dead, serving as its influential lead guitarist and vocalist during the 1960s counterculture and earning induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. |
| Jerry Lee Lewis was a pioneering American rock and roll musician nicknamed "The Killer," famous for his wild performances and hits like "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and "Great Balls of Fire." |
| Jerry Seinfeld is an American comedian famed for co-creating and starring in the iconic sitcom Seinfeld. |
| Gerald Norman Springer was a British-American broadcaster best known for hosting the controversial Jerry Springer talk show, which pioneered trash TV and became a cultural phenomenon in the 1990s. |
| Jerry Yang - Jerry Chih-Yuan Yang is a Taiwanese-born American billionaire who co-founded Yahoo! Inc. and has a net worth of $3.1 billion. |
| Jerry Kill - Jerry R. Kill is an American college football coach currently working as a consultant at Vanderbilt, with a career that includes head coaching roles at various universities such as New Mexico State and Minnesota. |
| Jerry Stiller - Gerald Stiller was an American comedian and actor famous for his roles on Seinfeld and The King of Queens and his comedy partnership with his wife, Anne Meara. |
| American model and actress Jerry Faye Hall gained fame in the 1970s, appeared in Batman, was Mick Jagger's long-term partner, and married Rupert Murdoch. |
| Jerry Van Dyke - Jerry McCord Van Dyke was an American actor and comedian and the younger brother of Dick Van Dyke. |
| Jerry Trainor is an American actor best known for his Kids' Choice Award-winning roles in iCarly and Drake & Josh, as well as his Emmy-nominated voice work in T.U.F.F. Puppy. |
| Jerry Doyle was an American actor and talk radio host best known for his role as Michael Garibaldi in Babylon 5. |
| Jerry Demings - Jerry L. Demings made history as Orange County's first African American mayor in 2018, building on his background as a former sheriff and police chief. |
| Jerry Ouellette - Jerry J. Ouellette was a Progressive Conservative MLA for Oshawa from 1995 to 2014 and served in cabinet under Premier Ernie Eves. |
