Cheryl

femaleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Cheryl: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Cheryl: Recorded since 1952, its highest recorded position is #11, and it stood at #5,891 in 2024.

4registrars recorded it
100times a registrar ranked it
73years from first to last
#11highest recorded position
23groupings it qualifies for
13names it appears alongside

Region

Falling

among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#671
1997	#926
1998	#1036
1999	#1393
2000	#1313
2001	#3262
2002	#4137
2003	#1628
2004	#2112
2005	#1796
2006	#1153
2007	#1965
2008	#1247
2009	#865
2010	#965
2011	#1327
2012	#2215
2013	#3160
2014	#2314
2015	#2328
2016	#2757
2017	#2090
2018	#2674
2019	#2286
2020	#5493
2022	#5669
2023	#5687
2024	#5891

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among girls in Republic of Ireland in 34 of the 53 years from 1965 to 2017.

In 2017: #873 among girls in Republic of Ireland, #2090 among girls in England and Wales.

Official data from 4 national registrars across 4 regions, 1952–2024 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1972
Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1972).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls

Cheryl appears in 4 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Girls, with 34 ranked years and 385 births registered; the earliest is New South Wales, Australia · Girls, from 1952.

Cheryl across 4 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Cheryl's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Girls	#262 (1965)	#179 (1989)	#873 (2017)	34 of 53	385 (1965–2017)	26 (1989)
England and Wales · Girls	#671 (1996)	#671 (1996)	#5891 (2024)	28 of 29	395 (1996–2024)	39 (2009)
New South Wales, Australia · Girls	#11 (1952)	#11 (1952)	#94 (1972)	21 of 21	7,212 (1952–1972)	602 (1953)
New Zealand · Girls	#56 (1954)	#51 (1970)	#84 (1973)	17 of 20	1,781 (1954–1973)	131 (1970)

Cheryl by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Cheryl in Republic of Ireland · Girls, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960s	12	2 of 10	6
1970s	89	10 of 10	9
1980sbusiest	175	10 of 10	18
1990s	87	8 of 10	11
2000s	3	1 of 10	3
2010s	19	3 of 10	6

Across Republic of Ireland · Girls, the 1980s were its busiest decade, averaging 18 births a year.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Cheryl appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1952 to 2024. Highest recorded position: #11 in New South Wales, Australia in 1952.

Cheryl's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	female	#5891	3	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	female	#5687	3	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	female	#5669	3	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	female	#5493	3	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	female	#2286	11	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#2674	9	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	female	#2090	13	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#2757	9	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	female	#2328	11	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	female	#2314	11	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	female	#3160	7	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	female	#2215	12	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	female	#1327	23	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	female	#965	35	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	female	#865	39	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	female	#1247	23	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#1965	12	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	female	#1153	23	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	female	#1796	12	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	female	#2112	9	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	female	#1628	12	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	female	#4137	3	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	female	#3262	4	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	female	#1313	14	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	female	#1393	13	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	female	#1036	20	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	female	#926	23	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	female	#671	35	High	Verified
1972	New South Wales, Australia	female	#94	101	Insufficient	Not yet available
1971	New South Wales, Australia	female	#74	137	Insufficient	Not yet available
1970	New South Wales, Australia	female	#63	145	Insufficient	Not yet available
1969	New South Wales, Australia	female	#64	154	Insufficient	Not yet available
1968	New South Wales, Australia	female	#51	184	Insufficient	Not yet available
1967	New South Wales, Australia	female	#44	192	Insufficient	Not yet available
1966	New South Wales, Australia	female	#40	209	Insufficient	Not yet available
1965	New South Wales, Australia	female	#39	224	Insufficient	Not yet available
1964	New South Wales, Australia	female	#36	264	Insufficient	Not yet available
1963	New South Wales, Australia	female	#28	319	Insufficient	Not yet available
1962	New South Wales, Australia	female	#32	318	Insufficient	Not yet available
1961	New South Wales, Australia	female	#30	364	Insufficient	Not yet available
1960	New South Wales, Australia	female	#21	445	Insufficient	Not yet available
1959	New South Wales, Australia	female	#17	510	Insufficient	Not yet available
1958	New South Wales, Australia	female	#15	522	Insufficient	Not yet available
1957	New South Wales, Australia	female	#19	462	Insufficient	Not yet available
1956	New South Wales, Australia	female	#18	462	Insufficient	Not yet available
1955	New South Wales, Australia	female	#17	485	Insufficient	Not yet available
1954	New South Wales, Australia	female	#14	512	Insufficient	Not yet available
1953	New South Wales, Australia	female	#12	602	Insufficient	Not yet available
1952	New South Wales, Australia	female	#11	601	Insufficient	Not yet available
1973	New Zealand	female	#84	73	High	Verified
1972	New Zealand	female	#74	83	High	Verified
1971	New Zealand	female	#55	126	High	Verified
1970	New Zealand	female	#51	131	High	Verified
1966	New Zealand	female	#77	82	High	Verified
1965	New Zealand	female	#99	64	High	Verified
1964	New Zealand	female	#72	97	High	Verified
1963	New Zealand	female	#78	101	High	Verified
1962	New Zealand	female	#75	108	High	Verified
1961	New Zealand	female	#67	117	High	Verified
1960	New Zealand	female	#59	127	High	Verified
1959	New Zealand	female	#72	105	High	Verified
1958	New Zealand	female	#61	117	High	Verified
1957	New Zealand	female	#63	111	High	Verified
1956	New Zealand	female	#54	121	High	Verified
1955	New Zealand	female	#59	110	High	Verified
1954	New Zealand	female	#56	108	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	female	#873	3	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	female	#550	7	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	female	#475	9	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	female	#677	3	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	female	#498	3	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	female	#534	3	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	female	#451	4	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	female	#255	13	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	female	#242	15	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	female	#304	10	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	female	#207	19	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	female	#203	20	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	female	#179	26	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	female	#222	18	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	female	#272	13	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	female	#275	13	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	female	#325	9	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	female	#218	22	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	female	#209	23	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	female	#248	18	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	female	#299	12	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	female	#230	21	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	female	#253	17	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	female	#258	15	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	female	#329	9	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	female	#429	4	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	female	#282	11	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	female	#340	7	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	female	#317	9	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	female	#312	8	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	female	#417	4	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	female	#363	5	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	female	#310	5	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	female	#262	7	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New South Wales, Australia hub — collected by NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 4 registrars between 1952 and 2024, ranked in 72 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #11, first reached in 1952.

It held a top-100 place in 22 years, 22 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 602 births, registered in New South Wales, Australia in 1953.

Its record falls into 2 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 1 year.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1954, and 44 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Cherish · #974, 28y
Cherry · #583, 29y
Chesky · #1875, 13y
Chesney · #506, 13y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 4 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Alma · #5, 72y
Camilla · #2, 70y
Mathias · #2, 69y
Mina · #20, 69y

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1950 and 1959.

Andrea · #11, 70y
Jacqueline · #11, 74y
Kerry · #11, 70y
Martina · #11, 66y

Comparisons involving Cheryl

Existing comparison pages where Cheryl and another name were ranked in the same published list, in the same years, on the same scale. Each has its own evidence; none of them says the names are alike.

Closest long-running positions

Names that stayed close to Cheryl within one registrar's list over many years. A gap measured inside that list, never across registrars.

Kerry vs Cheryl
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Kerry and Cheryl averaged 5.1 places apart, ending at #79 and #94.
Kerry · Cheryl · 21 shared years, 1952–1972 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1972 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Anne vs Cheryl
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anne and Cheryl averaged 6.5 places apart, ending at #75 and #94.
Anne · Cheryl · 21 shared years, 1952–1972 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1972 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Patricia vs Cheryl
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Patricia and Cheryl averaged 7.5 places apart, ending at #61 and #94.
Patricia · Cheryl · 21 shared years, 1952–1972 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1972 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Order changes

Pairs where Cheryl and another name exchanged position in a published list, taken as the final meaningful change.

Julie vs Cheryl
In 1953, Julie moved ahead of Cheryl in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #12 and #11 the year before became #7 and #12.
Julie · Cheryl · 21 shared years, 1952–1972 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1953 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Kim vs Cheryl
In 1957, Kim moved ahead of Cheryl in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #26 and #18 the year before became #8 and #19.
Kim · Cheryl · 21 shared years, 1952–1972 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1957 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs involving Cheryl measured in New South Wales, Australia's own published lists — the registrar that recorded Cheryl at its highest position.

Christine vs Cheryl
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Christine #1 in 1952, Cheryl #11 in 1952.
Christine · Cheryl · 21 shared years, 1952–1972 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1952 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Susan vs Cheryl
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Susan #1 in 1954, Cheryl #11 in 1952.
Susan · Cheryl · 21 shared years, 1952–1972 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1954 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Margaret vs Cheryl
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Margaret and Cheryl averaged 8.0 places apart, ending at #93 and #94.
Margaret · Cheryl · 21 shared years, 1952–1972 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1972 New South Wales, Australia ranking

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Cheryl was ranked #11 in New South Wales, Australia · Girls in 1952. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Cheryl and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Cheryl without appearing here.

Cheryl moved ahead of

Tyler Compare
In 2013 they stood at #3160 and #3160 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2014 that had become #2314 and #3160.
Kristy Compare
In 2002 they stood at #4137 and #2301 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2003 that had become #1628 and #2191.
Janet Compare
In 2009 they stood at #498 and #345 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2010 that had become #475 and #910.
Lorraine Compare
In 2009 they stood at #677 and #370 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2010 that had become #475 and #910.

Moved ahead of Cheryl

Eabha Compare
In 2019 they stood at #2286 and #2458 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2020 that had become #5493 and #1313.
Rory Compare
In 2019 they stood at #2286 and #4001 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2020 that had become #5493 and #1939.
Mona Compare
In 2019 they stood at #2286 and #4001 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2020 that had become #5493 and #2042.
Selma Compare
In 2019 they stood at #2286 and #2643 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2020 that had become #5493 and #2163.

Moved the opposite way to Cheryl

Alexandra Compare
Between 1965 and 2017 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cheryl went from #262 to #873 while Alexandra went from #227 to #111.
Alice Compare
Between 1965 and 2017 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cheryl went from #262 to #873 while Alice went from #60 to #35.
Amy Compare
Between 1965 and 2017 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cheryl went from #262 to #873 while Amy went from #262 to #44.
Annie Compare
Between 1965 and 2017 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cheryl went from #262 to #873 while Annie went from #131 to #74.

Moved the same way as Cheryl

Alma Compare
Between 1965 and 2017 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cheryl went from #262 to #873 and Alma from #262 to #579.
Audrey Compare
Between 1965 and 2017 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cheryl went from #262 to #873 and Audrey from #73 to #471.
Eileen Compare
Between 1965 and 2017 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cheryl went from #262 to #873 and Eileen from #17 to #396.
Ingrid Compare
Between 1965 and 2017 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cheryl went from #262 to #873 and Ingrid from #282 to #873.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1952 to 2024. Highest recorded position: #11 in New South Wales, Australia in 1952. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Cheryl

Cheryl at a glance

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Cheryl across 4 official records

Cheryl by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Cheryl appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Comparisons involving Cheryl

Closest long-running positions

Order changes

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Names published alongside Cheryl

Cheryl and the names beside it

Cheryl moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Cheryl

Moved the opposite way to Cheryl

Moved the same way as Cheryl

Cheryl at a glance

Cheryl across 4 official records

Cheryl by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Cheryl appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Comparisons involving Cheryl

Closest long-running positions

Order changes

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Names published alongside Cheryl

Cheryl and the names beside it

Cheryl moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Cheryl

Moved the opposite way to Cheryl

Moved the same way as Cheryl