Cheryl, occasionally spelt Cheryll, is a female
given name common in English-speaking countries.
There are several prevailing theories about its etymology. The most common is that it has Italo-Celtic roots and is an
anglicised version of either the French name
Cherie (from Latin cara, "beloved"; see also
Carissa (name)) or the Welsh name
Carys (a cognate of "Cara"),[1] modelled on names such as
Meryl and
Beryl that were popular during the early decades of the 20th century.[citation needed]
A less popular theory is that the name is
Germanic in origin and is a feminine version of the Germanic male name Charles, which means "free man".[2][better source needed]
Notable people with the first name include:
Cheryl
Cheryl (singer), formerly known as Cheryl Cole, English singer and television personality
This page or section lists people that share the same
given name. If an
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