Sherry is a feminine given name in English usage with multiple possible origins. One leading theory holds that it was probably inspired by the French word chérie, meaning "darling," or directly from the English word sherry, referring to a type of fortified wine named after the Spanish town of Jerez de la Frontera (the word itself is an anglicization of Xérès, the old Spanish name for Jerez). The name came into popular use in English-speaking countries during the 1920s, influenced by similar-sounding names like Shari and Sheri, and by Colette's novels Chéri (1920, English translation 1929) and The Last of Chéri (1926, English translation 1932), where the name is masculine.The name also coincides with an Irish surname, derived from the Irish Gaelic Mac Searraigh, meaning "descendant of Searrach" — a byname meaning "foal." Indeed, the word sherry itself is an anglicization, and the grape-derived wine has a rich heritage in Spain, where under the denominations of origin Jerez-Xérès-Sherry it is one of the country's protected wine regions. Styles of sherry range from light, dry versions like fino and Manzanilla to darker, more oxidized versions like Amontillado and oloroso, as well as sweet dessert wines made from Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel grapes.As a given name for girls, Sherry experienced a mid-20th-century height of popularity in the United States, peaking around the 1940s–1950s, and spawning spelling variants such as Sheree, Sherie, Sherri, and Sherrie.Meaning: "darling" (French chérie) or from the fortified wine sherry; also from an Irish surname meaning "foal"Origin: English, French, IrishType: Feminine given name, also a surnameUsage regions: Primarily English-speaking countries