Unisex name · since 1914

Derry

Derry has 1,541 recorded births since 1914 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1957 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

#3,879 of 45,481
all-time among boys
1,541
born since 1914
1950s
peak decade

1,541 boys have been named Derry since 1914, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.

Social Security Administration records show Derry recorded 1,541 times among boys since 1914, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2016.

  • #3,879 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 1,541 born since 1914
  • 1950s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Derry ranks #3,879 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,541 born since 1914, peaking in the 1950s.

#3,879 of 45,481
all-time among boys
1,541
born since 1914
1950s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Derry's 1,541 recorded births place it above 91.46% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

9 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

9 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Georgia.

Derry's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Derry's full recorded timeline at 1964, 42% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 58% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1923, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1957 peak of 50 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Derry popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2016

Last recorded 2016
Peak year (1957)
50
Annual births at peak, across 103 years of records
0102030405060 191419301942195419661978199020022016 6

Derry popularity over time - girls

137 total births recorded since 1932 (Derry as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 137 births
468101214 19321936194719521955195919631973 5

Derry by decade

1950s is the heaviest window (335 births, 22% of the file).

1950s was Derry's strongest decade.

335 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.

Derry births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1950s at 335 births (22% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Derry compares to similarly-sized names

Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Derry's total volume

Derry vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15%20% 050100150 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -50, 3.8%-108, 4%-37, 7.1%-20, 16.3%-56, 3.6%-27, 7.1%-50, 6%-34, 5.5%-55, 7.1%-47, 4.3%-55, 5.4%-51, 5.4%-119, 4%-113, 6%-31, 9.6%Derry-103, 3.2%Derry
Derry vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Derry by state

Where Derry concentrates geographically, total births since 1914

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Derry
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Georgia
25 1.6%
#2 North Carolina
12 0.8%
#3 Alabama
6 0.4%
#4 Ohio
6 0.4%
#5 Texas
6 0.4%
#6 Arkansas
5 0.3%
#7 Illinois
5 0.3%
#8 Mississippi
5 0.3%
Georgia share of Derry's total US births 1.6%
Even split

25 of 1,541 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 9 reporting states.

Derry appears in 9 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Derry?
1,541 babies have been named Derry since 1914. All-time, it sits at #3,879 of 45,481 boys' names by recorded births. It was last recorded in 2016. The peak year was 1957 with 50 births.
Where does Derry sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Derry ranks #3,879 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Derry most popular?
Derry was most popular in the 1950s decade with 335 total births. The single peak year was 1957.
Where is Derry most popular?
The top states for the name Derry are Georgia (25 births), North Carolina (12 births), Alabama (6 births).
Is Derry a unisex name?
Yes, Derry is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 1,541 births, and as a girl's name it has 137 births.
How long has the name Derry been used?
Derry has been recorded in Social Security data since 1914, spanning 103 years of data through 2016.
What names are similar to Derry?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Derek, Derrick, Derick, Dereck, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Derry's data

  • Derry's decade-level peak was the 1950s (335 total births); usage has since declined to 19 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Georgia records the most Derrys (25 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Georgia names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Derry

Nearby Names Like Derry

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Derry

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Derry: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.

Data Sources

Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).

According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.

Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1914–2016 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Derry draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.