Total births
1,196
Boys' name · since 1974
Shareef
Shareef has 1,196 recorded births since 1974 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1997 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #10135
- among boys today
- 1,196
- born since 1974
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 29%
- more common than other boys
1,196 babies have been named Shareef since 1974, making it today's #10135 boys' name.
Shareef has 1,196 recorded births among boys since 1974, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #10135 as of the latest data, more common than 29% of boys, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1974 to 2025.
- #10135 among boys today
- 1,196 born since 1974
- 1990s peak decade
- 29% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shareef is currently the #10135 boys' name in America, more common than 29% of boys - 1,196 born since 1974, peaking in the 1990s.
- #10135
- among boys today
- 1,196
- born since 1974
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 29%
- more common than other boys
Shareef vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#10135
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 29% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Shareef was born in this single decade.
1997
Single peak year
53 babies were named Shareef in 1997 - its busiest year on record.
How Shareef compares
1,196 Top 28% higher than 72% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Shareef's all-time total is 3x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shareef | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,196 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 53 | 23 | 22,252 |
Shareef's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shareef splits its recorded history at 2000: 41% of all births land in the more recent half, 59% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 2024 (7 births) -- compare that against the 1997 peak of 53 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shareef at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1997
Current rank
#10,135
Active since
1974
Shareef popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1974–2025
- Peak year (1997)
- 53
- Annual births at peak, across 52 years of records
Shareef by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Shareef's strongest decade.
314 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Shareef births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s
1970s
147 births
- 1980s
1980s
242 births
- 1990s
1990s
314 births
- 2000s
2000s
267 births
- 2010s
2010s
160 births
- 2020s 66
2020s
66 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 314 births (26% of all-time use).
How Shareef compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Shareef's total volume
Shareef vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Shareef by state
Where Shareef concentrates geographically, total births since 1974
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Jersey | | 110 | 9.2% |
| #2 | New York | | 106 | 8.9% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 102 | 8.5% |
| #4 | California | | 23 | 1.9% |
New Jersey share of Shareef's total US births 9.2%
Even split
110 of 1,196 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shareef? ▼
1,196 babies have been named Shareef since 1974. It currently ranks #10135 among boys. The peak year was 1997 with 53 births.
When was Shareef most popular? ▼
Shareef was most popular in the 1990s decade with 314 total births. The single peak year was 1997.
Where is Shareef most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shareef are New Jersey (110 births), New York (106 births), Pennsylvania (102 births).
How long has the name Shareef been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shareef since 1974 -- 52 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Shareef? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Shawn, Shane, Shaun, Shannon, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Shareef's data
- Shareef's decade-level peak was the 1990s (314 total births); usage has since declined to 66 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New Jersey records the most Shareefs (110 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New Jersey names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Shareef
Nearby Names Like Shareef
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shareef
Shawn Boy
#637 306,542 births
Shane Boy
#601 192,583 births
Shaun Boy
#1567 70,481 births
Shannon Boy
#2597 52,379 births
Shayne Boy
#4006 10,741 births
Compare Shareef side by side: Shareef vs Shawn Shareef vs Shane Shareef vs Shaun
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shareef
Lehi #10134
357 births · Peak 2005
Autumn #10136
338 births · Peak 2004
Lakendrick #10133
861 births · Peak 1991
Tamarcus #10137
554 births · Peak 1999
Enver #10132
91 births · Peak 2022
Adom #10138
259 births · Peak 2019
Donaven #10131
1,186 births · Peak 2002
Makarios #10139
129 births · Peak 2014
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1974–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shareef: #10135 Boys' Name - 1,196 Births, Peak 1997." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shareef. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Shareef draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.