Sherman
(English surname): From Middle English schereman, scherman; equivalent to shear + -man.
Every Sherman since 1880 — 39,393 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Sherman Hemsley Actor · 1938–2012
- Sherman Alexie Writer · b. 1966
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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).