Ferris
Irish, "strong man" | English, "iron worker"
Warm, cheeky, and charming, Ferris is a choice that radiates retro fun: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ferris Wheels, 80s movies, and vintage cars. While the teen comedy movie may have made it into a ‘one-character-name’ for a while, if Forrest can be separated from Gump, then is it not time to reconsider Ferris?
A nice mix of preppy and handsome, rugged and earthy, Ferris is both a sleeker form of Irish Fergus and an occupational name, associated with metal workers. Quietly used throughout the 20th-century, its most popular year was actually 2024, when 56 boys (and 10 girls) were given the name — the highest number ever on record.
Ideal for fans of Rafferty, Finley, Farley, and Ellis, this one might just sneak up the charts!
Do you have a favorite name from pop culture? Email your choice to grace@nameberry.com, along with what made you love it, and it may be featured on Nameberry of The Day in the future.





I’ve met a few Ferris’s (two of them were girls) and none of them had seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which honestly blew my mind!! It always makes me think about name associations and whether they’re actually a good thing or not. Like I love the name Dolly and I love Dolly Parton, but would people immediately think “Dolly Parton?” every time they hear it?