UK name, mostly girls
Ceri
A feminine Welsh name meaning "love" or "beloved".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ceri is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Ceri popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4763, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 91 births.
This profile covers 721 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 1996 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 4% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 807 living people in the UK are called Ceri. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ceri ranked #4763 for girls in England and Wales in 2017, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 91 girls were registered as Ceri.
- • Ceri ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #687 in 2005.
- • About 807 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ceri as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 87.1% of Ceri registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4763
2017
Births in 2017
4
Latest year
Peak year
1997
91 births
Estimated living
807
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Ceri
In England and Wales birth records, Ceri has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 12.9% of registrations are for boys and 87.1% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Ceri registered for boys
- Ranked #4,805 in 2012
- 3 boys registered in 2012
- Peak: 1997 (18 births)
Ceri registered for girls
- Ranked #4,763 in 2017
- 4 girls registered in 2017
- Peak: 1997 (91 births)
Meaning
What does Ceri mean?
The name Ceri is a Welsh name derived from the word "ceryn," meaning "lover of battling" or "valiant." Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Britons, who inhabited the British Isles before the Roman conquest in the 1st century AD. The name was commonly used among the Celtic tribes of Wales and Cornwall.
In Welsh mythology, Ceri is mentioned as the name of a legendary warrior known for his bravery and skill in battle. Some historians believe that Ceri was also the name of a Welsh prince who lived in the 6th century AD and fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ceri can be found in the Annales Cambriae, a medieval chronicle that documents notable events in Welsh history. The chronicle mentions a certain "Ceri ap Rhiwallon" who was a ruler in the kingdom of Gwynedd in the late 6th century.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ceri. One such person was Ceri Richards (1903-1971), a renowned Welsh painter and poet who was a prominent figure in the British avant-garde movement of the 20th century. Another was Ceri Rhys Jones (1901-1968), a Welsh actor and comedian known for his roles in various BBC radio programs.
In the realm of sports, Ceri Rees (born 1962) was a Welsh rugby union player who represented Wales in international competitions during the 1980s and 1990s. Ceri Sweeney (born 1981) is a Welsh professional golfer who has won several tournaments on the European Tour.
Ceri Watkins (born 1994) is a contemporary Welsh actress and singer who has appeared in various television shows and films, including the Netflix series "Sex Education."
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ceri over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Ceri in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ceri, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2017, compared with 91 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ceri by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ceri was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #3483 | 53 | 7 |
| 2000s | #940 | 365 | 10 |
| 1990s | #414 | 303 | 4 |
Geography
Where Ceri is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Ceri. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Ceri ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #687 in 2005.
Across the UK
Ceri in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#687 in 2005
23 years of NRS records, 92 total registered
Related
Names similar to Ceri
- Chloe 111,265
- Charlotte 88,733
- Caitlin 28,931
- Courtney 23,162
- Chelsea 13,049
- Clara 9,435
- Connie 8,402
- Catherine 8,376
- Charlie 7,964
- Cerys 7,506
- Casey 7,018
- Cara 6,375
FAQ
Ceri: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ceri in the UK right now?
In 2017, Ceri was ranked #4763 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Ceri most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 91 babies registered as Ceri in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ceri?
A feminine Welsh name meaning "love" or "beloved".
How many people are called Ceri in the UK?
A total of 721 babies have been registered as Ceri across the 21 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 92 more in Scotland.
Where is Ceri most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Ceri ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #687 in 2005. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.