Sierra
Girl name · #614 in 2025 · Rare
Sierra ranks #614 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 476 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #404, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,782 girls born in 2025 was named Sierra.
The 85-year story
Sierra first appears in the Social Security records in 1940, when 32 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1998, when 5,841 girls were named Sierra — good for #51 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Sierra per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sierra against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sierra in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Sierra is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Sierra will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Sierra is most common
Geography matters for names, and Sierra is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Sierra is most common in NV (1.1 per 1,000), CA (0.8 per 1,000), UT (0.8 per 1,000), MN (0.6 per 1,000), CO (0.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Sierra is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Sierra
Statistically, parents drawn to Sierra tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Briana, Alejandra, Karina, Alyssa, and Kiana.
BrianaAlejandraKarinaAlyssaKianaHannaMikaylaAlexis
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sierra | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 476 | #614 |
| 2024 | 508 | #593 |
| 2023 | 525 | #566 |
| 2022 | 552 | #551 |
| 2021 | 612 | #508 |
| 2020 | 568 | #531 |
| 2019 | 630 | #497 |
| 2018 | 699 | #452 |
| 2017 | 704 | #449 |
| 2016 | 771 | #424 |
| 2015 | 800 | #404 |
| 2014 | 949 | #350 |
| 2013 | 945 | #342 |
| 2012 | 1,170 | #278 |
| 2011 | 1,149 | #278 |
| 2010 | 1,455 | #214 |
| 2009 | 1,676 | #196 |
| 2008 | 1,903 | #175 |
| 2007 | 2,114 | #168 |
| 2006 | 2,466 | #140 |
| 2005 | 3,049 | #105 |
| 2004 | 3,520 | #92 |
| 2003 | 4,242 | #73 |
| 2002 | 4,807 | #62 |
| 2001 | 5,237 | #55 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sierra a popular girl name?
Sierra ranked #614 among girls in 2025 with 476 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #404.
When was the name Sierra most popular?
Sierra peaked in 1998, when 5,841 American girls received the name (ranked #51 that year). Since 1998 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Sierra?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,782 newborn American girls was named Sierra. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.