Sheryl
A female given name originating as a coinage, variant of Cheryl and Shirley.
Every Sheryl since 1921 — 79,026 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sheryl
Sheryl is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #8,281 in 2025 with 13 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1921, 79,026 American babies have been named Sheryl. Its peak came in 1957, when 4,144 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 Sheryl stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sheryl 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 | 13 | #8,281 | — | — |
| 2024 | 24 | #5,423 | — | — |
| 2023 | 16 | #7,202 | — | — |
| 2022 | 14 | #7,974 | — | — |
| 2021 | 22 | #5,719 | — | — |
| 2020 | 12 | #8,879 | — | — |
| 2019 | 27 | #5,018 | — | — |
| 2018 | 21 | #5,977 | — | — |
| 2017 | 23 | #5,643 | — | — |
| 2016 | 30 | #4,717 | — | — |
| 2015 | 17 | #7,226 | — | — |
| 2014 | 23 | #5,772 | — | — |
| 2013 | 27 | #5,130 | — | — |
| 2012 | 19 | #6,835 | — | — |
| 2011 | 24 | #5,701 | — | — |
| 2010 | 32 | #4,590 | — | — |
| 2009 | 27 | #5,360 | — | — |
| 2008 | 45 | #3,640 | — | — |
| 2007 | 23 | #6,056 | — | — |
| 2006 | 28 | #5,079 | — | — |
| 2005 | 26 | #5,094 | — | — |
| 2004 | 47 | #3,260 | — | — |
| 2003 | 54 | #2,875 | — | — |
| 2002 | 31 | #4,161 | — | — |
| 2001 | 35 | #3,774 | — | — |
| 2000 | 45 | #3,113 | — | — |
| 1995 | 68 | #2,024 | — | — |
| 1990 | 118 | #1,355 | — | — |
| 1985 | 198 | #825 | — | — |
| 1980 | 357 | #530 | — | — |
| 1975 | 575 | #362 | — | — |
| 1970 | 1,471 | #214 | — | — |
| 1965 | 2,535 | #147 | — | — |
| 1960 | 3,055 | #142 | 10 | #2,844 |
| 1955 | 3,412 | #125 | — | — |
| 1950 | 2,110 | #145 | 5 | #4,129 |
| 1945 | 1,055 | #194 | 7 | #2,963 |
| 1940 | 155 | #556 | — | — |
| 1935 | 32 | #1,301 | — | — |
| 1930 | 5 | #5,159 | — | — |
| 1925 | 6 | #4,889 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Sheryl
- Sheryl Crow Singer · b. 1962
- Sheryl Lee Actor · b. 1967
- Sheryl Sandberg Businessperson · b. 1969
- Sheryl Lee Ralph Actor · b. 1956
- Sheryl Swoopes Basketball player · b. 1971
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sheryl mean?
A female given name originating as a coinage, variant of Cheryl and Shirley.
How popular is the name Sheryl in 2025?
Sheryl ranked #8,281 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 13 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sheryl?
79,026 babies have been named Sheryl in the United States since 1921, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sheryl most popular?
Sheryl peaked in 1957, when 4,144 newborns received the name.
Is Sheryl a boy or girl name?
Sheryl is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Sheryl rising or falling?
Sheryl is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Sheryl?
Well-known people named Sheryl include Sheryl Crow (singer), Sheryl Lee (actor), Sheryl Sandberg (businessperson).