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Cary as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Cary

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The baby name Cary is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced KAIR-ee (IPA: /ˈkɛəri/ or /ˈkæri/).

Cary is English, Irish in Origin.

Gender: Unisex
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: English, Irish
Pronunciation: KAIR-ee (IPA: /ˈkɛəri/ or /ˈkæri/)

What is the meaning of the name Cary ?

The baby name Cary is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced KAIR-ee (IPA: /ˈkɛəri/ or /ˈkæri/).

Cary is English, Irish in Origin.

Cary is an English surname-turned-given name with two principal roots. One is Irish: an anglicization of Ó Ciardha, “descendant of Ciardha,” from the adjective ciar meaning “dark” or “dusky,” often rendered as Carey. The other is English habitational, taken from places such as Castle Cary in Somerset, referring to residence near the River Cary; the river name is of ancient Celtic origin with uncertain meaning. Accordingly, Cary can signify “dark one” or “from/by the River Cary.”

Used as a given name in Britain and the United States from the 19th century, Cary rose sharply in the mid-20th century, shaped by the enduring glamour of film star Cary Grant. The name is now considered unisex, seen for both men and women (for example, actress Cary Lowell), though usage has waned since the late 20th century. Variants and related spellings include Carey, Kary, Kari, and the overlapping feminine diminutive Carrie.

Cary has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Cary

Cary Grant Actor · Born 1904 · United States Cary Grant was a classic Hollywood leading man, most famous for his charming screen presence, comic timing, and debonair style. The English-American actor starred in beloved films like North by Northwest, Bringing Up Baby, and His Girl Friday. Cary Elwes Actor · Born 1962 · United Kingdom Cary Elwes is an English actor best known for playing Westley in The Princess Bride. He has also starred in Robin Hood: Men in Tights and appeared in the Saw series. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Actor · Born 1950 · United States Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa was a Japanese actor and film producer best known for playing the villain Shang Tsung in the Mortal Kombat franchise, including Mortal Kombat (1995), Mortal Kombat: Legacy, and Mortal Kombat 11. He was known for his commanding screen presence in action and fantasy roles.

Cary – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
TM Boys 0 #28 9 614
MT 0 #43 1 1,767
BI Boys 0 #44 1 917
MO 0 #49 4 2,706
PR 0 #53 3 1,497
CN 0 #85 2 3,857
JM 0 #93 1 3,714
TW 0 #102 2 4,523
PH 0 #108 3 5,607
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
ID Boys 0 #135 1 4,130
MU 0 #137 1 3,613
PA 0 #138 1 3,797
BW Girls 0 #151 1 4,216
PR Girls 0 #151 11 3,171
CR 0 #158 8 5,526
UY 0 #181 2 2,477
AE 0 #187 1 10,220
AR 0 #193 1 2,915
DK 0 #206 1 5,198
MO Boys 0 #214 10 5,842
AO Girls 0 #215 3 4,575
LU Boys 0 #220 1 4,970
TW Boys 0 #220 22 7,111
PS 0 #226 1 5,692
France Boys 1957 #233 4 931
NA Girls 0 #237 1 7,146
PT 0 #249 2 4,161
MO Girls 0 #256 8 7,056
EC Girls 0 #258 1 3,650
GR Boys 0 #273 1 6,912
JM Girls 0 #278 1 7,507
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
JM Boys 0 #285 9 6,876
CN Boys 0 #286 34 9,639
TW Girls 0 #289 1 8,139
JP Boys 0 #302 2 7,909
CZ Boys 0 #305 1 6,530
HK 0 #307 42 8,483
SA 0 #312 1 10,560
PE 0 #323 7 6,350
Canada Boys 2015 #324 5 2,393
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
DK Boys 0 #331 2 7,401
GT 0 #331 8 5,948
KZ Girls 0 #332 1 5,862
CN Girls 0 #334 16 8,829
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
MY 0 #353 2 12,352
BR 0 #360 1 5,969
MU Girls 0 #362 1 8,539
PH Boys 0 #370 14 11,440
YE 0 #396 3 8,639
MX 0 #399 15 8,339
BO 0 #405 4 6,868
UY Boys 0 #406 8 5,922
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
PH Girls 0 #423 7 13,098
CL 0 #429 6 6,867
Spain 0 #440 13 2,326
HK Boys 0 #445 83 12,905
PT Girls 0 #464 8 7,952
SD Boys 0 #466 1 10,523
PA Girls 0 #470 12 9,861
ZA 0 #473 2 14,421
GT Girls 0 #478 28 7,500
AR Boys 0 #481 3 7,628
HK Girls 0 #487 129 16,104
UY Girls 0 #495 16 6,731
CR Boys 0 #503 8 10,188
PA Boys 0 #503 3 9,305
CO 0 #507 4 7,768
AR Girls 0 #516 84 8,289
CR Girls 0 #519 14 11,342
RU Girls 0 #522 2 11,913
RU Boys 0 #525 2 12,621
CM Girls 0 #553 8 11,671
KW Girls 0 #559 3 19,177
LY 0 #559 1 12,703
PS Boys 0 #561 1 10,655
IR Boys 0 #565 1 10,162
BH 0 #586 2 17,937
BO Girls 0 #593 19 9,488
AE Girls 0 #597 1 20,968
BD Boys 0 #605 1 10,045
BO Boys 0 #621 2 9,244
IL Boys 0 #625 1 10,983
SG Girls 0 #628 5 18,916
Finland Boys 2026 #669 14 3,552
SG Boys 0 #685 13 17,960
LB 0 #690 1 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #692 6 13,071
CL Boys 0 #700 1 13,390
QA Boys 0 #741 3 18,093
SY 0 #767 1 11,684
CL Girls 0 #794 58 14,098
KW Boys 0 #803 4 18,755
Germany Girls 0 #829 10 4,949
PE Girls 0 #849 95 14,861
Spain Girls 0 #858 126 5,561
United States Boys 2024 #862 31 7,044
TN 0 #865 1 13,765
MX Girls 0 #888 309 17,781
United States Girls 2024 #912 5 8,487
PE Boys 0 #919 8 14,506
EG Boys 0 #923 3 15,035
BR Girls 0 #929 13 12,708
NL Girls 0 #932 24 5,933
NL Boys 0 #939 13 5,873
MX Boys 0 #966 17 16,355
MY Girls 0 #972 23 24,821
CO Boys 0 #978 4 15,656
EG Girls 0 #1,001 9 14,742
SA Girls 0 #1,010 5 25,931
CO Girls 0 #1,028 51 16,140
ZA Girls 0 #1,127 15 25,928
AE Boys 0 #1,137 7 22,615
DZ 0 #1,166 11 20,130
MY Boys 0 #1,176 7 25,439
TR 0 #1,186 26 19,440
MA 0 #1,196 4 20,986
ZA Boys 0 #1,265 8 25,619
IT Girls 0 #1,412 35 9,415
IT Boys 0 #1,451 21 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,599 16 28,008

Cary is popular in 68 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
Canada
AE
AO
AR

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Cary

Cary is a unisex name, given to both boys and girls.
Cary is a 2 syllable name, pronounced KAIR-ee (IPA: /ˈkɛəri/ or /ˈkæri/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Carey, Kari, Karey, Kary, Karry and Carrie.
Yes — Cary ranked #233 in France in 1957, and appears in official birth registries across 4 countries.
Cary ranks highest in France (#233 in 1957).
Yes — 3 notable people named Cary are in our database, including Cary Grant (Actor), Cary Elwes (Actor), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Actor).