Cary: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “from Carey; from the stream fort”
- Origin
- English
- Say it
- KAIR-ee · 2 syllables
- Used for
- Boys (82% of all uses)
Cary is an English surname-name variant of Carey. As a given name it can derive from an Irish surname or from place names; meanings vary, so this form is somewhat uncertain. The origin of this name is not settled among etymologists.
How popular is Cary?
Babies named Cary in 202436
2024 rank#3,590 boys
Peak year1966
Total US babies since 188029,795
Cary is steady now but far below its 1966 peak.
Names like Cary
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
Cary questions
What does the name Cary mean?
Cary means "from Carey; from the stream fort". It comes from English. Cary is an English surname-name variant of Carey. As a given name it can derive from an Irish surname or from place names; meanings vary, so this form is somewhat uncertain.
Is Cary a boy or girl name?
Cary is mainly a boy's name in US records (82% of uses since 1880).
How popular is Cary?
36 US babies were named Cary in 2024. Its peak year was 1966.
How do you pronounce Cary?
Cary is usually pronounced KAIR-ee.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.