Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
As a Chinese surname, it comes from Chinese.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1983. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Ker through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 15
- 10 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 1983
- 5 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 1991. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 619 as a first name in 2020; 816 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.
Ker’s family of names
In English usage, Ker as a surname has a related form in Carr. In Greek usage, Ker as a surname is a transliteration of Κερ.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Ker, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kirby
“from the church town” · “from the village with the church”
48% boys · 52% girls
Kelby
“from the waters” · “from the farm near the spring”
60% boys · 40% girls
Ky
Ky is a feminine given name.
89% boys · 11% girls
Kory
“from the hollow; of the churning waters”
82% boys · 18% girls
Korey
“from the hollow; of the churning waters”
86% boys · 14% girls
Kendell
“from the royal valley”
70% boys · 30% girls
Kasey
“a vigilant woman” · “vigilant, wakeful”
44% boys · 56% girls
Tai
“a very big woman” · “one who is talented and prosperous”
80% boys · 20% girls