NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Cerys

A feminine Welsh name derived from "Cyrisia", meaning "love" or "beloved".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Cerys is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Cerys popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1406, with 23 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 578 births.

This profile covers 7,506 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 8,465 living people in the UK are called Cerys. 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 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Cerys ranked #1406 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 23 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2000, when 578 girls were registered as Cerys.
  • Cerys ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #424 in 2019.
  • About 8,465 living people in the UK are estimated to have Cerys as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1406

2024

Births in 2024

23

Latest year

Peak year

2000

578 births

Estimated living

8,465

2026

Meaning

What does Cerys mean?

The name Cerys has its origins in the Welsh language and culture. It is believed to be derived from the Welsh word "cerys," which means "love." The name dates back to the medieval period in Wales, where it was primarily used as a feminine given name.

In ancient Welsh mythology, there are references to characters with names similar to Cerys, such as Ceridwen, the goddess of inspiration and knowledge. However, the direct connection between these names and the modern name Cerys is unclear.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Cerys can be found in the Welsh literature of the 14th century. A poet named Dafydd ap Gwilym is said to have mentioned a woman named Cerys in one of his poems, suggesting that the name was in use during that time.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Cerys. One of the most famous was Cerys Griffiths (born in 1958), a Welsh singer-songwriter and television presenter known for her work with the band Catatonia.

Another notable figure was Cerys Morgan (1934-2018), a Welsh-born actress who appeared in various television shows and films throughout her career, including the popular British series "The Prisoner."

In the field of literature, Cerys Jones (1923-2009) was a Welsh writer and poet who published several collections of poetry and prose, celebrating the Welsh language and culture.

Cerys Matthews (born in 1969) is a contemporary Welsh singer-songwriter and broadcaster who has released several solo albums and has been recognized for her contributions to promoting Welsh music and culture.

Cerys Williams (born in 1985) is a Welsh rugby union player who has represented Wales at the international level and has played for various clubs in the United Kingdom.

While the name Cerys has maintained a presence in Wales and other parts of the United Kingdom, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries, as a unique and melodic given name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Cerys over time

The chart below shows babies named Cerys registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Cerys, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 23 births in 2024, compared with 578 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Cerys
0145289434578199620102024

Decades

Cerys by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Cerys 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
2020s #1022 180 5
2010s #363 1,586 10
2000s #114 4,688 10
1990s #231 1,052 4

Geography

Where Cerys is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Cerys. 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.

Cerys ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #424 in 2019.

Scotland
4
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Cerys in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#638 in 2024

27 years of NRS records, 855 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#424 in 2019

19 years of NISRA records, 154 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Cerys

  • Cerys Hale

    rugby union player

    Welsh rugby player

    1993-

  • Cerys Hafana

    harpist

    musical artist

  • Cerys Jones

    violinist; musician

    violinist, violist

Related

Names similar to Cerys

FAQ

Cerys: questions and answers

How popular is the name Cerys in the UK right now?

In 2024, Cerys was ranked #1406 for girls in England and Wales, with 23 births registered.

When was Cerys most popular?

The peak year on record was 2000, with 578 babies registered as Cerys in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Cerys?

A feminine Welsh name derived from "Cyrisia", meaning "love" or "beloved".

How many people are called Cerys in the UK?

A total of 7,506 babies have been registered as Cerys across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 855 more in Scotland and 154 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Cerys most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Cerys ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #424 in 2019. 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.