Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1951

Sherman

Meaning (English surname): From Middle English schereman, scherman Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 #5,169

(English surname): From Middle English schereman, scherman; equivalent to shear +‎ -man.

Rank 2025
#5,169
among boys · ↓312 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
19
named Sherman · -10% vs 2024
How common
1 in 89,899
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1951
644 babies
All-time total
39,393
#582 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Sherman popularity over time

39,393 babies have been named Sherman since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.250.50.75118801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 615 615 62 – #162
1890s – 766 766 77 +25% #154
1900s – 838 838 84 +9% #183
1910s 5 3,372 3,377 338 +303% #221
1920s 22 5,059 5,081 508 +50% #243
1930s 23 4,833 4,856 486 -4% #220
1940s 15 5,456 5,471 547 +13% #230
1950s 64 5,787 5,851 585 +7% #260
1960s 26 4,296 4,322 432 -26% #325
1970s 22 3,280 3,302 330 -24% #410
1980s 26 2,248 2,274 227 -31% #484
1990s – 1,351 1,351 135 -41% #757
2000s – 715 715 72 -47% #1,239
2010s – 416 416 42 -42% #2,655
2020s (to 2025) – 158 158 26 -37% #3,334

The story of Sherman

Sherman is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #5,169 in 2025 with 19 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 39,393 American babies have been named Sherman. Its peak came in 1951, when 644 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

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 Sherman stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Sherman?

The median living Sherman is about 61 years old; half are between 46 and 73. An estimated 19 thousand people named Sherman are alive in the United States today.

median 61 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Sherman year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 19 #5,169
2024 – – 21 #4,857
2023 – – 19 #5,218
2022 – – 32 #3,602
2021 – – 33 #3,484
2020 – – 34 #3,334
2019 – – 36 #3,247
2018 – – 36 #3,225
2017 – – 47 #2,667
2016 – – 47 #2,655
2015 – – 42 #2,853
2014 – – 39 #2,976
2013 – – 40 #2,885
2012 – – 46 #2,672
2011 – – 40 #2,947
2010 – – 43 #2,818
2009 – – 50 #2,550
2008 – – 60 #2,233
2007 – – 55 #2,363
2006 – – 72 #1,889
2005 – – 70 #1,852
2004 – – 66 #1,877
2003 – – 75 #1,666
2002 – – 70 #1,692
2001 – – 89 #1,412
2000 – – 108 #1,239
1995 – – 114 #1,051
1990 – – 164 #796
1985 7 #9,144 196 #629
1980 – – 303 #484
1975 – – 334 #431
1970 5 #9,107 387 #414
1965 – – 407 #387
1960 7 #5,623 563 #325
1955 10 #4,016 590 #298
1950 – – 635 #260
1945 5 #5,159 511 #257
1940 5 #4,944 532 #232
1935 8 #3,388 511 #229
1930 – – 473 #257
1925 – – 499 #255
1920 – – 488 #248
1915 – – 425 #233
1910 – – 107 #226
1905 – – 72 #231
1900 – – 95 #201
1895 – – 75 #196
1890 – – 67 #199
1885 – – 65 #198
1880 – – 54 #219

Famous people named Sherman

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Sherman Hemsley Sherman Hemsley American actor (1938–2012) Contemporary
  2. 2 Sherman Alexie Sherman Alexie Native American author and filmmaker (born 1966) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Sherman, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Sherman?

The median living Sherman is about 61 years old. Half of all living Shermans are between 46 and 73 years old.

How many people named Sherman are alive today?

An estimated 19 thousand people named Sherman are alive in the United States, based on 39,393 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Sherman mean?

(English surname): From Middle English schereman, scherman; equivalent to shear +‎ -man.

How popular is the name Sherman in 2025?

Sherman ranked #5,169 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 19 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Sherman?

39,393 babies have been named Sherman in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Sherman most popular?

Sherman peaked in 1951, when 644 newborns received the name.

Is Sherman a boy or girl name?

Sherman is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Sherman rising or falling?

Sherman is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Sherman?

Well-known people named Sherman include Sherman Hemsley (actor), Sherman Alexie (writer).

Names like Sherman

Names that sound and feel close to Sherman: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Sherman with similar names → More names starting with S →