Sherman
Sherman was the 5169th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 19 babies. Its best year was 1894, when it ranked 154th; the most babies were born in 1950 (635). Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,316 places. More babies were named Sherman in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning "shearer" · Old English, English
Say it SHUR-mun /ˈʃɝmən/
- Rank in 2025
- #5,169 boys, down 1,835 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 19boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1950635 babies
- Total since 1880
- 39,393babies recorded
What does the name Sherman mean?
Sherman is an English occupational surname for a sheep-shearer or a shearer of woolen cloth, from Middle English schereman, "shear-man". Wikipedia suggests that its use as an American first name began in honor of Roger Sherman, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and later of the Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman. It was most common as a first name in the US from the 1890s to the 1950s.
schereman (Middle English, “shearer”)scēara (Old English, “shears”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Shearman, Sharman.
See also: English names, names from occupations.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Sherman', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Sherman (name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Sherman popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 203 since 1916.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,169 | 19 |
| 2020 | #3,334 | 34 |
| 2010 | #2,818 | 43 |
| 2000 | #1,239 | 108 |
| 1990 | #796 | 164 |
| 1980 | #484 | 303 |
| 1970 | #414 | 387 |
| 1960 | #325 | 563 |
| 1950 | #260 | 635 |
| 1940 | #232 | 532 |
| 1930 | #257 | 473 |
| 1920 | #248 | 488 |
| 1910 | #226 | 107 |
| 1900 | #201 | 95 |
| 1890 | #199 | 67 |
| 1880 | #219 | 54 |
How popular is Sherman, counting every spelling?
Sherman has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How many kids will share the name Sherman?
19 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Sherman (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Sherman born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 439 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Sherman.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Sherman?
About 17,800 people born in the US named Sherman are alive today, with a median age of 61; half are between 46 and 73. That makes Sherman a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Sherman: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Sherman, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Sherman · Sibling names for Sherman
Questions about the name Sherman
What does Sherman mean?
Sherman means “"shearer"” (Old English, English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Sherman?
Sherman was the 5169th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 19 babies. Its best year was 1894, when it ranked 154th; the most babies were born in 1950 (635). Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,316 places. More babies were named Sherman in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Sherman a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Sherman in the US.