Sterling
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
Every Sterling since 1880 — 41,197 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sterling
Sterling is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #346 in 2025 with 944 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 41,197 American babies have been named Sterling — about 91% boys and 9% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 1,162 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 Sterling stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sterling 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 | 218 | #1,100 | 944 | #346 |
| 2024 | 219 | #1,116 | 885 | #371 |
| 2023 | 180 | #1,275 | 792 | #403 |
| 2022 | 171 | #1,365 | 803 | #398 |
| 2021 | 182 | #1,275 | 844 | #383 |
| 2020 | 122 | #1,686 | 768 | #400 |
| 2019 | 115 | #1,786 | 753 | #411 |
| 2018 | 126 | #1,670 | 783 | #409 |
| 2017 | 127 | #1,695 | 713 | #435 |
| 2016 | 133 | #1,643 | 671 | #458 |
| 2015 | 85 | #2,233 | 595 | #493 |
| 2014 | 97 | #2,035 | 552 | #507 |
| 2013 | 70 | #2,565 | 441 | #583 |
| 2012 | 65 | #2,733 | 350 | #675 |
| 2011 | 64 | #2,758 | 307 | #739 |
| 2010 | 52 | #3,198 | 299 | #755 |
| 2009 | 47 | #3,507 | 231 | #899 |
| 2008 | 45 | #3,641 | 245 | #870 |
| 2007 | 41 | #3,910 | 269 | #800 |
| 2006 | 55 | #3,084 | 270 | #772 |
| 2005 | 39 | #3,804 | 272 | #743 |
| 2004 | 63 | #2,648 | 300 | #675 |
| 2003 | 54 | #2,878 | 325 | #632 |
| 2002 | 77 | #2,177 | 357 | #589 |
| 2001 | 55 | #2,737 | 395 | #545 |
| 2000 | 73 | #2,188 | 363 | #569 |
| 1995 | 53 | #2,452 | 511 | #446 |
| 1990 | 41 | #2,845 | 451 | #463 |
| 1985 | 20 | #4,113 | 275 | #527 |
| 1980 | 16 | #4,710 | 242 | #550 |
| 1975 | 7 | #7,850 | 183 | #600 |
| 1970 | 14 | #4,228 | 221 | #548 |
| 1965 | 7 | #5,743 | 215 | #523 |
| 1960 | — | — | 237 | #516 |
| 1955 | 9 | #4,342 | 267 | #457 |
| 1950 | — | — | 252 | #422 |
| 1945 | 7 | #3,984 | 216 | #410 |
| 1940 | — | — | 204 | #402 |
| 1935 | — | — | 179 | #413 |
| 1930 | — | — | 208 | #404 |
| 1925 | — | — | 241 | #385 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,337 | 259 | #374 |
| 1915 | — | — | 209 | #373 |
| 1910 | — | — | 46 | #390 |
| 1905 | — | — | 30 | #390 |
| 1900 | — | — | 38 | #356 |
| 1895 | — | — | 35 | #308 |
| 1890 | — | — | 15 | #509 |
| 1885 | — | — | 18 | #436 |
| 1880 | — | — | 17 | #440 |
Famous people named Sterling
- Sterling Hayden Actor · 1916–1986
- Sterling K. Brown Actor · b. 1976
- Sterling Holloway Actor · 1905–1992
- Sterling Price Military personnel · 1809–1867
- Sterling Knight Actor · b. 1989
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sterling mean?
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Sterling in 2025?
Sterling ranked #346 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 944 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sterling?
41,197 babies have been named Sterling in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sterling most popular?
Sterling peaked in 2025, when 1,162 newborns received the name.
Is Sterling a boy or girl name?
Sterling is used for both: about 9% of babies named Sterling have been girls and 91% boys.
Is the name Sterling rising or falling?
Sterling is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Sterling?
Well-known people named Sterling include Sterling Hayden (actor), Sterling K. Brown (actor), Sterling Holloway (actor).