Jeri is a feminine given name of English origin. It is primarily a diminutive or variant of Jerry, which itself can be a short form of several longer names such as Jeremy, Jerome, Gerald, and Geraldine. The ultimate root of Jeri, through Jeremy, is the Hebrew name Jeremiah, meaning "Yahweh will exalt." Thus, Jeri carries a biblical connection, albeit through a long chain of linguistic evolution. Notable Bearers Several women have brought visibility to the name. Jeri Ryan (born 1968) is an American actress best known for portraying Seven of Nine on the television series Star Trek: Voyager. Jeri Ellsworth (born 1974) is an American entrepreneur and computer chip designer, famous for her work in virtual reality and commodore 64 emulation. Jeri Taylor (1938–2024) was a prolific American television scriptwriter and producer, who contributed significantly to the Star Trek franchise. Jeri Southern (1926–1991) was a renowned American jazz pianist and singer, born Genevieve Hering. Jeri Laber (born 1931) is an American activist and writer, a founding director of Human Rights Watch. The name also appears in politics, science, and sports. Variant Forms Jeri is part of a broader set of homophonic variants like Geri, Gerri, Gerry, Jerri, and Jerrie. These forms often originate independently from either Gerald/Geraldine (via the nickname Jerry) or from Jeremiah/Jeremy, with spelling differences reflecting personal or regional preference. Jeri is almost exclusively used as a female name, while some of its counterparts can be unisex. Meaning: Variant of Jerry, ultimately from Jeremiah meaning "Yahweh will exalt" Origin: English Type: Diminutive/variant Typical usage: Female given name, common in English-speaking countries