Given name & surname
Cheri
“one who is greatly loved; a darling”
Cheri is a variant of Cher. One French interpretation is “one who is greatly loved; a darling.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Cheri is a variant of Cher. One French interpretation is “one who is greatly loved; a darling.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Cheri is a variant of Cher. An origin associated with Cher is French.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1925. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Cheri through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 36,080
- 12 boys · 36,068 girls
- Most popular year
- 1960
- 1,410 babies
- 2025
- 6
- #13,555 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +100%
- Rising fast
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 13,555 among girls’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,410 in 1960. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 30,101 as a first name in 2020; 201 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Cheri’s family of names
In English usage, Cheri has a related form in Sherry. In English usage, Cheri has a related form in Sherri. In English usage, Cheri has a related form in Shari.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Cheri
- Cheri OteriAmerican comic actressborn 1962
- Cheri BustosAmerican lobbyist, politician, & businessperson (1961-)
- Cheri BeasleyAmerican judge, Senate candidate (2022)born 1966
- Cheri HonkalaAmerican activistborn 1963
- Cheri BlauwetAmerican wheelchair racerborn 1980
- Cheri ElliottAmerican champion female bicycle motocross (BMX) racerborn 1970
- Cheri DiNovoCanadian politician, Ordained United Church Minister and business womanborn 1950
- Cheri DennisAmerican musicianborn 1979
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Cheri, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Cheryl
“one who is greatly loved; a darling”
>99% girls
Peri
Peri is a surname. It is used in English and Finnish.
>99% girls
Terri
“a harvester” · “learned”
>99% girls
Perri
“one who travels; a wanderer”
>99% girls
Dori
“a gift of God” · “of the ancient Greek tribe, the Dorians”
>99% girls
Jani
“God is gracious”
4% boys · 96% girls
Sheryl
“one who is greatly loved; a darling” · “from the bright clearing”
>99% girls
Shelly
“from the bank's meadow” · “from the meadow's ledge”
>99% girls