Cary
Every Cary since 1880 — 29,827 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cary
Cary is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,676 in 2025 with 30 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 29,827 American babies have been named Cary — about 82% boys and 18% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1959, when 906 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Cary stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cary year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 30 | #3,676 |
| 2024 | 5 | #15,738 | 32 | #3,533 |
| 2023 | — | — | 23 | #4,479 |
| 2022 | — | — | 37 | #3,223 |
| 2021 | — | — | 27 | #3,931 |
| 2020 | — | — | 26 | #3,940 |
| 2019 | — | — | 41 | #2,950 |
| 2018 | 5 | #16,167 | 22 | #4,501 |
| 2017 | 5 | #16,360 | 31 | #3,527 |
| 2016 | — | — | 35 | #3,241 |
| 2015 | — | — | 32 | #3,443 |
| 2014 | 7 | #13,347 | 21 | #4,562 |
| 2013 | 6 | #14,983 | 22 | #4,349 |
| 2012 | 5 | #17,401 | 28 | #3,730 |
| 2011 | 9 | #11,364 | 29 | #3,617 |
| 2010 | 7 | #13,750 | 24 | #4,125 |
| 2009 | 7 | #13,982 | 25 | #4,053 |
| 2008 | 7 | #14,125 | 34 | #3,296 |
| 2007 | 8 | #12,906 | 35 | #3,197 |
| 2006 | — | — | 27 | #3,693 |
| 2005 | 14 | #7,981 | 30 | #3,329 |
| 2004 | 11 | #9,374 | 34 | #2,958 |
| 2003 | — | — | 39 | #2,582 |
| 2002 | 8 | #11,321 | 34 | #2,765 |
| 2001 | 13 | #7,817 | 49 | #2,122 |
| 2000 | 19 | #5,747 | 53 | #1,945 |
| 1995 | 22 | #4,549 | 87 | #1,245 |
| 1990 | 47 | #2,530 | 157 | #813 |
| 1985 | 64 | #1,763 | 197 | #625 |
| 1980 | 85 | #1,436 | 195 | #626 |
| 1975 | 204 | #722 | 360 | #405 |
| 1970 | 155 | #864 | 570 | #331 |
| 1965 | 78 | #1,218 | 689 | #286 |
| 1960 | 118 | #987 | 760 | #286 |
| 1955 | 81 | #1,107 | 490 | #335 |
| 1950 | 40 | #1,453 | 443 | #323 |
| 1945 | 21 | #1,833 | 237 | #387 |
| 1940 | 21 | #1,750 | 134 | #501 |
| 1935 | 15 | #2,115 | 61 | #792 |
| 1930 | 11 | #2,711 | 53 | #917 |
| 1925 | 19 | #2,038 | 52 | #933 |
| 1920 | 12 | #2,752 | 61 | #878 |
| 1915 | 12 | #2,410 | 53 | #847 |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,795 | 23 | #602 |
| 1905 | 8 | #1,438 | 13 | #671 |
| 1900 | 5 | #1,976 | 12 | #752 |
| 1895 | 6 | #1,449 | 11 | #644 |
| 1890 | 7 | #1,115 | 9 | #675 |
| 1885 | — | — | 17 | #443 |
| 1880 | — | — | 17 | #429 |
Famous people named Cary
- Cary Grant Actor · 1904–1986
- Cary Elwes Actor · b. 1962
- Cary Joji Fukunaga Film director · b. 1977
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Cary in 2025?
Cary ranked #3,676 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 30 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cary?
29,827 babies have been named Cary in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cary most popular?
Cary peaked in 1959, when 906 newborns received the name.
Is Cary a boy or girl name?
Cary is used for both: about 18% of babies named Cary have been girls and 82% boys.
Is the name Cary rising or falling?
Cary is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Cary?
Well-known people named Cary include Cary Grant (actor), Cary Elwes (actor), Cary Joji Fukunaga (film director).