UK girl's name
Cheri
A feminine name of French origin meaning "darling" or "beloved".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2007. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Cheri is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Cheri popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2007 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4294, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 6 births.
This profile covers 24 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 1996 to 2007. 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 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 27 living people in the UK are called Cheri. 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 2008 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Cheri ranked #4294 for girls in England and Wales in 2007, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 6 girls were registered as Cheri.
- • Cheri ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #530 in 1982.
- • About 27 living people in the UK are estimated to have Cheri as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4294
2007
Births in 2007
4
Latest year
Peak year
1997
6 births
Estimated living
27
2026
Meaning
What does Cheri mean?
Cheri is a French given name that has its roots in the Old French word "chere", meaning "dear" or "beloved". The name was popular in medieval France, particularly among the upper classes, as a term of endearment or affection.
The earliest recorded use of the name Cheri can be traced back to the 13th century, when it appeared in French literature and historical records. One notable example is Cheri, the main character in the novel "La Femme de Trente Ans" by Honoré de Balzac, published in 1842.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Cheri. One of the earliest known was Cheri of Paris (c. 1200 - c. 1260), a French trouvère and composer of secular music during the High Middle Ages. Another notable figure was Cheri Ebersole (1951 - 2021), an American actress and singer who performed on Broadway and in numerous television shows.
In the realm of literature, Cheri Blossom (1950 - ) is an American author known for her children's books and young adult novels, while Cheri Loven Huddleston (1942 - 2016) was a renowned American poet and essayist.
The name Cheri has also been associated with the world of entertainment. Cheri Caffaro (1956 - ) is an American actress and singer, best known for her role in the musical "Gypsy" on Broadway, while Cheri Oteri (1962 - ) is an American actress and comedian who was a cast member on the sketch comedy show "Saturday Night Live" in the 1990s.
While the name Cheri has French origins, it has been adopted and used in various cultures and languages over the centuries, reflecting its enduring appeal as a term of affection and endearment.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Cheri over time
The chart below shows babies named Cheri registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2007. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Cheri, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2007, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cheri by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Cheri 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4103 | 7 | 2 |
| 1990s | #2513 | 17 | 3 |
Geography
Where Cheri is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Cheri. 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.
Cheri ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #530 in 1982.
Across the UK
Cheri in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#530 in 1982
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Cheri
- 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
Cheri: questions and answers
How popular is the name Cheri in the UK right now?
In 2007, Cheri was ranked #4294 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Cheri most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 6 babies registered as Cheri in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Cheri?
A feminine name of French origin meaning "darling" or "beloved".
How many people are called Cheri in the UK?
A total of 24 babies have been registered as Cheri across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Cheri most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Cheri ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #530 in 1982. 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.