Shepard
Boy name · #891 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Shepard? In official American birth records, Shepard has been tracked continuously since 1912, giving it 113 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 268 baby boys were named Shepard, placing it at #891 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1453, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,716 boys born in 2025 was named Shepard.
The 113-year story
Shepard first appears in the Social Security records in 1912, when 9 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 268 babies and a rank of #891. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Shepard per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Shepard against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Shepard in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Shepard is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Shepard will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Shepard is most common
Geography matters for names, and Shepard is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Shepard is most common in OK (0.8 per 1,000), AL (0.7 per 1,000), TN (0.3 per 1,000), NC (0.2 per 1,000), GA (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Shepard is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Shepard
Statistically, parents drawn to Shepard tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sheppard, Stellan, Oakland, Shivansh, and Santana.
SheppardStellanOaklandShivanshSantanaShauryaSyncereSultan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Shepard | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 268 | #891 |
| 2024 | 244 | #942 |
| 2023 | 238 | #949 |
| 2022 | 253 | #913 |
| 2021 | 233 | #963 |
| 2020 | 243 | #920 |
| 2019 | 202 | #1028 |
| 2018 | 215 | #964 |
| 2017 | 228 | #925 |
| 2016 | 190 | #1043 |
| 2015 | 116 | #1453 |
| 2014 | 80 | #1844 |
| 2013 | 59 | #2205 |
| 2012 | 65 | #2091 |
| 2011 | 57 | #2261 |
| 2010 | 64 | #2100 |
| 2009 | 67 | #2050 |
| 2008 | 60 | #2207 |
| 2007 | 31 | #3444 |
| 2006 | 44 | #2659 |
| 2005 | 31 | #3241 |
| 2004 | 20 | #4264 |
| 2003 | 37 | #2674 |
| 2002 | 15 | #4919 |
| 2001 | 15 | #4890 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Shepard?
In official American birth records, the name Shepard first appeared in 1912 (over 113 years ago), when 9 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 113 years.
Is Shepard a popular boy name?
Shepard ranked #891 among boys in 2025 with 268 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1453.
When was the name Shepard most popular?
Shepard peaked in 2025, when 268 American boys received the name (ranked #891 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Shepard?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,716 newborn American boys was named Shepard. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.