Shepherd
Boy name · #246 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Shepherd? In official American birth records, Shepherd has been tracked continuously since 1886, giving it 139 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 1,408 baby boys were named Shepherd, placing it at #246 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1105, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,278 boys born in 2025 was named Shepherd.
The 139-year story
Shepherd first appears in the Social Security records in 1886, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 1,408 babies and a rank of #246. 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 Shepherd per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Shepherd against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Shepherd in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Shepherd is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Shepherd is most common
Geography matters for names, and Shepherd is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Shepherd is most common in KY (2.6 per 1,000), OK (2.6 per 1,000), TN (2.6 per 1,000), AR (2.5 per 1,000), AL (2.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Shepherd is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Shepherd
Statistically, parents drawn to Shepherd tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Shiloh, Muhammad, Callahan, Saint, and Sutton.
ShilohMuhammadCallahanSaintSuttonStetsonShepardSullivan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Shepherd | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,408 | #246 |
| 2024 | 1,099 | #310 |
| 2023 | 789 | #405 |
| 2022 | 619 | #491 |
| 2021 | 558 | #526 |
| 2020 | 463 | #594 |
| 2019 | 434 | #624 |
| 2018 | 339 | #716 |
| 2017 | 293 | #790 |
| 2016 | 265 | #847 |
| 2015 | 174 | #1105 |
| 2014 | 164 | #1153 |
| 2013 | 93 | #1636 |
| 2012 | 102 | #1551 |
| 2011 | 103 | #1533 |
| 2010 | 102 | #1558 |
| 2009 | 70 | #1990 |
| 2008 | 65 | #2104 |
| 2007 | 34 | #3250 |
| 2006 | 39 | #2881 |
| 2005 | 32 | #3172 |
| 2004 | 9 | #7536 |
| 2003 | 17 | #4616 |
| 2002 | 9 | #7055 |
| 2001 | 6 | #9243 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Shepherd?
In official American birth records, the name Shepherd first appeared in 1886 (over 139 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Shepherd a popular boy name?
Shepherd ranked #246 among boys in 2025 with 1,408 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #1105.
When was the name Shepherd most popular?
Shepherd peaked in 2025, when 1,408 American boys received the name (ranked #246 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Shepherd?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,278 newborn American boys was named Shepherd. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.