Baby Name Popularity Profile

Shepherd

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Shepherd.

✦ Herder of sheep 🌍 English nature traditional
National Rank (2025) #246
All-Time Peak Rank #246 Achieved 2025
Total U.S. Births 7,785 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.6% Boy / 0.4% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1886 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 2020s 1,408 births in 2025
💡 The Shepherd Vibe: Considered a Rising Star. A high-velocity modern choice demonstrating rapid, sustained growth in recent registries.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Herder of sheep
Language Origin English
Origin Type single
Derived from the Old English 'sceaphierde', meaning 'sheep herder'.
Common Nicknames
Shep
Alternative Spellings
Shepard
Pronunciation: SHEH-perd
Themes & Categories
nature traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Shepherd

According to SSA data, Shepherd achieved its highest historical rank of #246 in 2025. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 2025 with 1,408 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have increased by 709.2%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 32 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Shepherd across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Fast Rising
10-Year Shift +709.2% Growth
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 1,408 births in 2025
Years in Top 100 0 yrs
Years in Top 500 4 yrs
Registry Streak 32 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 16
1890s: 0
1900s: 0
1910s: 61
1920s: 90
1930s: 25
1940s: 64
1950s: 55
1960s: 60
1970s: 48
1980s: 15
1990s: 57
2000s: 289
2010s: 2,069
2020s: 4,936

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Shep-herd
Letter Count 8 letters
Spelling Complexity Complex
Length Percentile Longer than 79% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 79.0% of SSA names. Starts with S, a letter used by only 7.9% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Shepherd.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Tennessee
Top States Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Georgia
States with Data 43
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Tennessee #92 434 2025 +280.0% Growth
Alabama #109 307 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #95 223 2025 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #135 445 2025 +187.5% Growth
Georgia #137 392 2025 +166.7% Growth
Texas #195 1,050 2025 +168.9% Growth
South Carolina #149 186 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas #108 128 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #101 199 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #248 126 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #194 232 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #306 155 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi #150 109 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas #188 87 2024 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho #193 30 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #168 179 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #420 256 2024 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #230 135 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #160 150 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #459 81 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon #309 52 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #436 42 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #433 72 2023 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #264 213 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #242 60 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska #206 31 2025 Insufficient historical volume
California #557 361 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska #192 5 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #297 71 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #292 126 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #354 57 2025 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 10 2021 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia #195 26 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #316 135 2025 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota #218 7 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #483 100 2025 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 6 2024 Insufficient historical volume
Montana #287 5 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Maine #230 6 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts Unranked 26 2024 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut Unranked 11 2024 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #821 23 2024 Insufficient historical volume
New York #1278 60 2024 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

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