Keri

Meaning of Keri

Keri, a feminine given name pronounced /ˈkɛri/, traces its origins to the Anglicization of the Irish Ciara—literally “dark” or “black-haired”—while simultaneously invoking the placename heritage of County Kerry in southwestern Ireland; its phonetic correspondence with the Welsh name Ceri, itself derived from a river name of uncertain etymology, further underscores its Celtic resonance. In the United States, Keri attained its greatest prominence in the late 1970s and early 1980s, consistently ranking within the top 200 female names, before undergoing a measured decline to its 2024 position of 943rd with seven recorded occurrences. The name’s succinct, bi­syllabic form and its balanced vowel-consonant pattern have endowed it with enduring clarity amid evolving naming fashions, while its cultural associations confer an air of reserved elegance and a discreet nod to ancestral lineages. From an academic perspective on contemporary nomenclature, Keri exemplifies a designation that harmonizes geographical significance and semantic depth, offering a choice of cultivated restraint for families seeking a name both historically rooted and adapted to modern Anglo-American contexts.

Pronunciation

English

• Pronunced as KEH-ree (/ˈkɛri/)

• Keira
• Kiera
• Kira
• Kara
• Karina
• Kerri