UK girl's name
Kerryn
A feminine name of Gaelic origin meaning "little dark one".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2012. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kerryn is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kerryn popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2012 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5876, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 18 births.
This profile covers 57 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 1996 to 2012. 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 17% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 77 living people in the UK are called Kerryn. 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 2013 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kerryn ranked #5876 for girls in England and Wales in 2012, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 18 girls were registered as Kerryn.
- • Kerryn ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #793 in 2008.
- • About 77 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kerryn as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5876
2012
Births in 2012
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
18 births
Estimated living
77
2026
Meaning
What does Kerryn mean?
The name Kerryn is an English feminine name derived from the Gaelic surname Kerrin or Kerrans, which originated in Ireland. The name is believed to have its roots in the Irish Gaelic word "ciar," meaning "dark" or "black," likely referring to the dark complexion or hair color of the original bearer.
The earliest recorded use of the name Kerryn can be traced back to the 19th century in Ireland and Scotland. It was primarily used as a surname before gaining popularity as a given name in the 20th century, particularly in English-speaking countries.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Kerryn was Kerryn Gallo, an Australian author and poet born in 1955. Her works often explored themes of identity, family, and the human experience.
Another notable figure was Kerryn McCann, an Australian long-distance runner and Olympic athlete who competed in the 1980s and early 1990s. She won several medals at the Commonwealth Games and held national records in various track events.
In the literary world, Kerryn Goldsworthy is an Australian critic, academic, and author who has written extensively on Australian literature and culture. She was born in 1957 and has contributed to various publications and academic journals.
Kerryn Phelps, born in 1957, is an Australian medical practitioner, former politician, and LGBTQ+ rights advocate. She served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 2018 to 2019 and has been a prominent voice for healthcare reform and social justice.
Kerryn Feehan is a Canadian actress and voice artist known for her work in television, film, and video games. She has lent her voice to numerous animated series and video game characters, including roles in the popular franchises "Assassin's Creed" and "Mass Effect."
While the name Kerryn has its roots in Ireland and Scotland, it has gained popularity across various English-speaking regions, particularly in Australia, Canada, and the United States. The name's unique spelling and phonetic qualities have contributed to its enduring appeal as a feminine given name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kerryn over time
The chart below shows babies named Kerryn registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2012. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kerryn, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2012, compared with 18 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kerryn by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kerryn 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 | #5320 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | #4091 | 21 | 6 |
| 1990s | #2084 | 29 | 3 |
Geography
Where Kerryn is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kerryn. 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.
Kerryn ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #793 in 2008.
Across the UK
Kerryn in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#793 in 2008
6 years of NRS records, 21 total registered
Related
Names similar to Kerryn
- 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
Kerryn: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kerryn in the UK right now?
In 2012, Kerryn was ranked #5876 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kerryn most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 18 babies registered as Kerryn in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kerryn?
A feminine name of Gaelic origin meaning "little dark one".
How many people are called Kerryn in the UK?
A total of 57 babies have been registered as Kerryn across the 11 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 21 more in Scotland.
Where is Kerryn most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Kerryn ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #793 in 2008. 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.