Given name & surname · also French
Cherry
“resembling a fruit-bearing tree”
Cherry is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “resembling a fruit-bearing tree.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “resembling a fruit-bearing tree.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is French.
How it developed
In English usage, Cherry is an affectionate form of Charity.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Cherry through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 11,716
- 136 boys · 11,580 girls
- Most popular year
- 1947
- 359 babies
- 2025
- 42
- #3,588 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −8%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 42 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,588 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 7.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 354 in 1947. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (8). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 10,641 as a first name in 2020; 34,179 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.
Cherry’s family of names
In English usage, Cherry is an affectionate form of Charity. In English usage, Cherry has a related form in Cherrie. Cherry has a related form in Cherrie.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 5
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Cherry
- Cherry JonesAmerican actressborn 1956
- Cherry ChevapravatdumrongAmerican writerborn 1977
- Cherry A. MurrayAmerican professorborn 1952
- Cherry KeartonEnglish nature photographer and filmmaker (1871–1940)
- Cherry VanillaAmerican singer-songwriterborn 1943
- Cherry NganHong Kong actressborn 1993
- Cherry VannArchbishop of Walesborn 1958
- Cherry SmithJamaican vocalist1943–2008
- Cherry DeeBritish modelborn 1987
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Cherry, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Meryl
“resembling a blackbird” · “of the shining sea”
>99% girls
Shelley
“from the bank's meadow” · “from the meadow's ledge”
>99% girls
Loretta
“crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree”
>99% girls
Marni
“woman of the sea”
>99% girls
Ashurst
“ash-tree”
—
Toinette
In French use, Toinette carries the interpretation “priceless and highly praiseworthy; a flourishing flower.”
>99% girls
Eacott
“river, running stream”
—
Heyzell
“from the hazel tree”
>99% girls