The name Cary is a girl's name of English, Irish origin meaning "black, dark".

Names that Peaked in 1975

4 Letter Girl Names

Names Ending in Y for Girls

Two Syllable Names for Girls

Animal Names for Girls

Names that end in y

More popularly spelled as Carey, this succinct unisex option was popular in the 1960s and -70s, predominantly for boys, though it did appear in the charts for girls in the 60s through to the early 90s. Similar in sound (or style) to Carrie, Kerry, and Cassie, it ultimately comes from the Irish element ciar meaning "dare, black".

Cary

English

Irish

The name Cary is currently ranked #871 in U.S. births. and peaked for girls at #722 in 1975. It is currently rising in popularity. Cary is occasionally used for boys in 2025.

Carey

Carol

Caroline

Carrie

The name Cary is a boy's name of English, Irish origin meaning "black, dark".

Names that Peaked in 1966

Latin Names

Latin Names for Boys

4 Letter Boy Names

Names Ending in Y for Boys

Names That Mean Stream

Names That Mean Pleasant

Two Syllable Names for Boys

Boy Dog Names That Start With C

Dog Names That Start With C

Animal Names for Boys

Latin Names that Start With C

Cary Grant's debonair image has stood the test of time: he is still rated as one of the most handsome and admired men in Hollywood. Charming, succinct, and witty, Cary (also spelled Carey) was a familiar choice throughout most of the 20th-century, peaking in the 50s and 60s when it made the Top 300. Out of favor since the 90s, could Cary be ready for reconsideration, now that Kerry and Carrie aren't as popular for girls?
 
Usually considered an anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Ciardha, the name ultimately comes from ciar meaning "black". Other sources occasionally link it to the Welsh Carew, meaning "fort on the hill", to the Irish mac Fiachra meaning "descendant of the crow", to the Byronic karɨd meaning "to love", or to the German Gehring, meaning "spear".

Telegraph Baby Names 

Old-Fashioned Boy Names

Old-Fashioned Names

Dog Names

Dog Names That Mean Comfort

Names That Mean Water

Laidback Baby Boy Names

Endangered Baby Names

Nameberry

The name Cary is currently ranked #967 in U.S. births. and peaked for boys at #264 in 1966. It is currently rising in popularity. The name is most popular in CARY, CARY, and CARY. Cary is occasionally used for girls in 2024.

Carroll

Charles

Year	US rank	Births	Per million
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Cary

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