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Kerr

Boy name · 1,128 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Kerr: 1,128 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 52 births in 2006.

Rooted in the Old Norse *kjarr* meaning "wet ground" or "brushwood," Kerr started as a surname from the lands of Kerr in Roxburghshire, and in Scotland it carries the softer pronunciation "kurr." The name is famously borne by the volcanic actor Deborah Kerr, whose iconic kiss with Burt Lancaster on a Hawaiian beach remains one of cinema's most enduring images. It also links to the charming Scottish town of Carrbridge, whose name derives from the same Gaelic *càrr* (rocky ground). Unlike its homophone "car," Kerr has never quite crossed over into mainstream first-name use in Scotland, but it remains a crisp, land-tied choice that feels both modern and ancient.

Boy 52 of 52 years

Peak year
200652 babies
Latest (2025)
#27813 babies
Total births
1,128since 1974
5-year trend
▼ 22%vs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2006 · 52
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).