Meaning & Origin
A surname from Middle English.
Berry is a boy's and girl's baby name of Old English origin, from the Old English berie (berry, fruit), or a habitational surname from places called Berry in England, or a diminutive of names like Bernard or Berkeley, meaning 'berry' or 'from the fortified place' — a natural, warm American name of simple Old English heritage.
With over 5,733 recorded births, Berry peaked in American popularity in the early-to-mid 20th century. Berry Gordy (born 1929), the founder of Motown Records who launched the careers of Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and countless other music legends, is the name's most culturally significant modern bearer — his influence on American popular music is incalculable. Chuck Berry (1926–2017), one of the pioneers of rock and roll, gives the name its other towering musical association.