Sheppard
From Middle English, from schepherde (“shepherd”).
Every Sheppard since 1880 — 716 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sheppard
Sheppard is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,081 in 2025 with 40 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 716 American babies have been named Sheppard. Its peak came in 2025, when 40 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Sheppard stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sheppard year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 40 | #3,081 |
| 2024 | 35 | #3,385 |
| 2023 | 38 | #3,217 |
| 2022 | 31 | #3,678 |
| 2021 | 28 | #3,901 |
| 2020 | 23 | #4,400 |
| 2019 | 33 | #3,485 |
| 2018 | 25 | #4,201 |
| 2017 | 20 | #4,910 |
| 2016 | 23 | #4,446 |
| 2015 | 14 | #6,261 |
| 2014 | 10 | #8,037 |
| 2013 | 9 | #8,657 |
| 2012 | 11 | #7,468 |
| 2011 | 9 | #8,657 |
| 2010 | 10 | #8,043 |
| 2009 | 10 | #8,207 |
| 2008 | 5 | #14,289 |
| 2007 | 6 | #12,135 |
| 2006 | 10 | #7,905 |
| 2005 | 10 | #7,562 |
| 2004 | 9 | #8,060 |
| 2003 | 5 | #12,480 |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | 5 | #11,862 |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | 7 | #3,500 |
| 1960 | 8 | #3,300 |
| 1955 | 7 | #3,466 |
| 1950 | 10 | #2,557 |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | 5 | #3,871 |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | 6 | #4,211 |
| 1915 | 6 | #3,772 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | 5 | #1,041 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sheppard mean?
From Middle English, from schepherde (“shepherd”).
How popular is the name Sheppard in 2025?
Sheppard ranked #3,081 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 40 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sheppard?
716 babies have been named Sheppard in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sheppard most popular?
Sheppard peaked in 2025, when 40 newborns received the name.
Is Sheppard a boy or girl name?
Sheppard is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Sheppard rising or falling?
Sheppard is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.