Cary
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Cary is a Celtic name meaning “beloved”. It is a uncommon name, predominantly used for boys, with 90.38% male usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Cary
Cary is a name of Celtic origin, traditionally linked to the Welsh root for love or the Irish term for a dark stream. It functions as a transferred surname, evolving from locative and topographical identifiers used in Britain. Its history as a given name is tied to the broader practice of adopting ancestral surnames to maintain familial heritage.
Meaning Comments
- No0b_ownz_9: I hope this name sees a comeback in the future. Maybe it's the Cary Grant connection (and yes, I know it wasn't his real name), but I've always loved it. I regret not using it for one of my sons. It's a great name that's unique without being made up.
- Xsearingbowx: Polite, clever, and fresh. This name is sure to be a winner.
- Blackmanwin: One of the very few truly unisex names. (no, Riley, Taylor, and Morgan don't count) In my opinion, Cary and Carey are the best spellings for boys, and my favorite for girls is Carrie. It can be handsome and manly and delicate and feminine at the same time, depending on the spelling. A fantastic name :)
Gender Usage of the Name Cary
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Cary is predominantly used as a name for boys. Approximately 90.38% of recorded bearers are male. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Cary
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Cary is listed under Uncommon Boy Names worldwide. Its popularity varies considerably across the available regional markets, with the strongest usage in Canada.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Uncommon | 1 in every 257K births |
| United Kingdom | Uncommon | 1 in every 844K births |
| Canada | Common | 1 in every 471K births |
| Australia | Rare | 1 in every 4.57M births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Cary ranked #6,054 on the Popular Boys’ Names Worldwide List (2025). This year the name appears in the official list for this region after being absent in the prior official year. Newly recorded in the latest official lists, Cary shows early signs of usage.
Historically, its best recorded position was #287 in 1963. Its lowest recorded position was #10,528 in 2013. Over the last 7 years (2018–2025) the name fell -1891 places (from #4,163 to #6,054).
Name StyleMethodology
Cary is classified as Vintage Boy Names because its historical peak was 1962, followed by a decline to 0% of that peak and a recent recovery to 2x the preceding level.Characteristics of the Name Cary
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 2 syllables — Two-Syllable Boy Names
- Length
- 4 letters — Short Boy Names
- Starts with
- C — Boy Names Starting with C
- Ends with
- y — Boy Names Ending in “y”
Name AestheticMethodology
Cary is a two-syllable name with a falling stress pattern. It is most notably represented by the film actor Cary Grant. This link to classic Hollywood figures provides an Elegant & Timeless aesthetic.
Middle Names For Cary
Middle names used with CaryMethodology
Cary is most frequently used with these boy middle names: Cary Allen · Cary Michael · Cary Dean · Cary James · Cary ScottView all 178 boy middle names.
- Total 351 middle names used with Cary
- 94 girl middle names used with Cary
- 73 unisex middle names used with Cary
Middle name suggestions for CaryMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Cary is most frequently associated with boy middle names that have 2 syllables, Strong–Weak stress pattern, 6 letters, and a starting sound of “d”.
Examples: Cary Daniel · Cary Donald · Cary Dennis · Cary Dillon · Cary Dallas. View all 271 suggested middle names.
Names Similar to Cary
Sound Like Cary Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Gary · Corey · Cory · View all 93 names
Spelled Like Cary Finder
Names with similar spelling patterns and letter sequences: Cory · Carl · Carn
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Christopher · Kenneth · Kevin · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Cary Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Anthony · Timothy · Jeffrey · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Robert · Michael · William · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Cary”
Dictionary Meaning of "Cary"Methodology
A surname, a less common spelling of Carey
A male given name transferred from the surnames
Examples
- "You'll laugh when I tell you my name. All I can say is, nobody consulted me." "Why, what's your name?" Laughing now as he stepped past her into the hall. "Cary," he told her. "After the actor. Only I've never managed to be quite so suave."
A diminutive of the female given name Caroline
Examples
- "My sister gave it me,—my only sister, Cary. Would that your aunt Caroline had lived to see her niece!"
A number of places in the United States
Show details
- A village in Algonquin Township, McHenry County and Cuba Township, Lake County, Illinois.
- An unincorporated community in Monroe Township, Putnam County, Indiana.
- A ghost town in Harrison Township, Miami County, Indiana.
- An unorganised township in Aroostook County, Maine.
- A town in Sharkey County, Mississippi.
- A town in Wake County, Chatham County and Durham County, North Carolina.
- A town in Wood County, Wisconsin.
A river in Somerset, England, which flows into the River Parrett
More Info
How to Spell Cary in ASL
- C
- a
- r
- y
Comments on the name Cary
Community CommentsShowing 5 of 11 comments
Thoughtlessm
In 2018, 48 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Cary who is registered male with the Social Security Administration. It is the 1, 359th most common male first name for living U.S. citizens. In 2018, 35 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Cary who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 3, 168th most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
Z_half_blood
The name Cary was given to 32 boys born in the US in 2015.
Death__cures
Cary Huang the creator of the famous object show BFDI (Battle For Dream Island). He and his brother Michael Huang created literally the most famous object show(s) and have the most famous object show channel! (JacknJellify) if ur interested in the topic check out their channel I’d recommend it. Huge fan of the object show genre.
Angelic1997
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa is a Japanese-American actor, sports physiologist, martial artist, and stuntman. Tagawa has appeared on television in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Thunder in Paradise, Nash Bridges, Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding, and Heroes. His roles have also included the voice of Sin Tzu for the video game Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, Earth Alliance security officer Morishi in Babylon 5, the evil soul-stealing sorcerer Shang Tsung in a film adaptation of the video game Mortal Kombat, and the evil mastermind Heihachi Mishima in the film adaptation of Tekken. He is currently featured as Nobusuke Tagomi in The Man in the High Castle, the Amazon original series adaptation of the novel by Philip K. Dick.
Uqfzpguenn07
Cary Stayner (born 1961) was convicted of the murders of four women in Yosemite National Park and is currently awaiting execution. He is also the older brother of Steven Stayner, who was kidnapped at the age of seven and eventually returned home at fourteen.