UK girl's name
Kerris
A feminine name of uncertain origin, potentially derived from the Greek word "keras" meaning "horn".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2014. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kerris is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kerris popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2014 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5691, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2003, with 23 births.
This profile covers 203 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 1996 to 2014. 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 13% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 263 living people in the UK are called Kerris. 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 2015 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kerris ranked #5691 for girls in England and Wales in 2014, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2003, when 23 girls were registered as Kerris.
- • Kerris ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #806 in 2015.
- • About 263 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kerris as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5691
2014
Births in 2014
3
Latest year
Peak year
2003
23 births
Estimated living
263
2026
Meaning
What does Kerris mean?
The name Kerris has its origins in ancient Greece, where it was derived from the Greek word "keraunos," meaning "thunderbolt" or "lightning bolt." This name was often associated with the powerful gods of Greek mythology, particularly Zeus, who was known for wielding lightning bolts as his weapon.
The earliest recorded use of the name Kerris dates back to the 5th century BC, when it was mentioned in ancient Greek texts and inscriptions. It is believed to have been a relatively uncommon name during that time, primarily given to children born during thunderstorms or to those whose parents wished to invoke the protection of the gods.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name Kerris was a Greek warrior who fought in the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. He was renowned for his bravery and skill in battle, and his name was often invoked as a symbol of strength and courage.
In the 2nd century AD, the name Kerris gained some popularity in the Roman Empire, where it was Latinized and adapted to various spellings, such as "Cerris" or "Kerrius." One notable figure from this period was Kerris Antonius, a Roman senator and philosopher who wrote extensively on the subject of ethics and virtue.
During the Middle Ages, the name Kerris fell out of widespread use but remained present in certain regions of Europe. One notable bearer of the name was Kerris of Reims, a French nobleman and crusader who fought in the Third Crusade in the late 12th century.
In the Renaissance period, the name Kerris experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly in Italy and France. One famous individual with this name was Kerris Puccini, an Italian composer and musician who lived in the late 16th century and was renowned for his works in the madrigal style.
Another notable figure was Kerris Montaigne, a French Renaissance philosopher and writer who lived from 1533 to 1592. His essays on topics such as education, friendship, and self-knowledge have had a lasting impact on Western thought.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kerris over time
The chart below shows babies named Kerris registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2014. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kerris, the clearest high point is 2003. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2014, compared with 23 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kerris by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kerris 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 | #4239 | 21 | 4 |
| 2000s | #1760 | 138 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1589 | 44 | 4 |
Geography
Where Kerris is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kerris. 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.
Kerris ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #806 in 2015.
Across the UK
Kerris in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#806 in 2015
12 years of NRS records, 62 total registered
Related
Names similar to Kerris
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Kerris: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kerris in the UK right now?
In 2014, Kerris was ranked #5691 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kerris most popular?
The peak year on record was 2003, with 23 babies registered as Kerris in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kerris?
A feminine name of uncertain origin, potentially derived from the Greek word "keras" meaning "horn".
How many people are called Kerris in the UK?
A total of 203 babies have been registered as Kerris across the 18 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 62 more in Scotland.
Where is Kerris most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Kerris ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #806 in 2015. 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.