Sheryl

An uncommon pick — distinctive and rare.

Girl's name| Also boysRising fast Also a pet name
#5402 1791in 2024

Meaning & Origin

A female given name originating as a coinage, variant of Cheryl or Shirley.

Sheryl is a girl's and boy's baby name of uncertain origin, an American spelling variant of Cheryl or Shirley, coined in the mid-20th century through phonetic respelling. It is one of those purely American creations without a single clear etymology.

Sheryl was most popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow brought the name back into cultural view in the 1990s, adding a rock-and-roll edge to what had been a quietly suburban classic.

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Popularity Over Time

Sheryl was #3260 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #5402, but its charm endures.

01k2k3k4k19401960198020002024

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Sheryl
DecadeBirthsTrend
2020s88
2010s243
2000s361
1990s749
1980s2,273
1970s7,356
1960s26,058
1950s30,383
1940s10,713
1930s527
1920s61

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(102 years, 19212024)
Year-by-year popularity data for the name Sheryl
YearBirthsRank
202424#5402
202316#7193
202214#7969
202122#5717
202012#8872
201927#5018
201821#5976
201723#5643
201630#4717
201517#7225
201423#5771
201327#5130
201219#6832
201124#5698
201032#4589
200927#5359
200845#3640
200723#6056
200628#5078
200526#5092

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Sheryl as a Boy's Name

While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Sheryl has also been given to 200 boys in the U.S. since 1932.

Unranked
Current rank
200
Total births
1947
Peak year
Compare Sheryl as girl vs boy

Frequently Asked

Can Sheryl be used for both boys and girls?
Yes, Sheryl is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name, it currently ranks #5402. As a boy's name, it is not currently in the top rankings.

Sheryl has two lives

Sheryl, the baby name
#5402girls
78,812 babies
Currently viewing
Sheryl, the pet name
#33416pet name
1 pets
View pet page →

Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (19212024) · Methodology