Total births
6,444
Girls' name · since 1932
Sharla
Since 1932, U.S. Social Security records show 6,444 babies named Sharla, peaking in 1972. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #8498
- among girls today
- 6,444
- born since 1932
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other girls
6,444 babies have been named Sharla since 1932, making it today's #8498 girls' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sharla has been recorded 6,444 times among girls since 1932, currently ranked #8498 nationally and more common than 52% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1932 to 2025.
- #8498 among girls today
- 6,444 born since 1932
- 1970s peak decade
- 52% more common than other girls
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Sharla is currently the #8498 girls' name in America, more common than 52% of girls - 6,444 born since 1932, peaking in the 1970s.
- #8498
- among girls today
- 6,444
- born since 1932
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other girls
Sharla vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#8498
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 52% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Sharla was born in this single decade.
1972
Single peak year
241 babies were named Sharla in 1972 - its busiest year on record.
How Sharla compares
6,444 Top 11% higher than 89% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Sharla's all-time total is 17x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Sharla | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 6,444 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 241 | 48 | 19,840 |
Sharla's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Sharla's SSA record in two at 1978 and the more recent half accounts for 28% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 72%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1933, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1972 peak of 241, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Sharla at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1972
Current rank
#8,498
Active since
1932
Sharla popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1932–2025
- Peak year (1972)
- 241
- Annual births at peak, across 94 years of records
Sharla by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Sharla's strongest decade.
1,816 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Sharla births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 80
1930s
80 births
- 1940s 363
1940s
363 births
- 1950s
1950s
972 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,688 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,816 births
- 1980s
1980s
908 births
- 1990s 329
1990s
329 births
- 2000s 152
2000s
152 births
- 2010s 92
2010s
92 births
- 2020s 44
2020s
44 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 1,816 births (28% of all-time use).
How Sharla compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Sharla's total volume
Sharla vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Sharla by state
Where Sharla concentrates geographically, total births since 1932
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,192 | 18.5% |
| #2 | California | | 455 | 7.1% |
| #3 | Oklahoma | | 301 | 4.7% |
| #4 | Kansas | | 142 | 2.2% |
| #5 | Utah | | 118 | 1.8% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 116 | 1.8% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 103 | 1.6% |
| #8 | Iowa | | 93 | 1.4% |
Texas share of Sharla's total US births 18.5%
Even split
1,192 of 6,444 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 33 reporting states.
Sharla appears in 33 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sharla? ▼
Since 1932, Social Security records show 6,444 babies named Sharla. Today it holds rank #8498 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1972, with 241 births.
When was Sharla most popular? ▼
Sharla was most popular in the 1970s decade with 1,816 total births. The single peak year was 1972.
Where is Sharla most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Sharla are Texas (1,192 births), California (455 births), Oklahoma (301 births).
How long has the name Sharla been used? ▼
Records for Sharla go back to 1932, giving 94 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Sharla? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sharon, Shannon, Shawna, Shari, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Sharla's data
- Sharla's decade-level peak was the 1970s (1,816 total births); usage has since declined to 44 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Sharlas (1,192 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Sharla
Nearby Names Like Sharla
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sharla
Sharon Girl
#1224 723,024 births
Shannon Girl
#1874 295,782 births
Shawna Girl
#6004 45,531 births
Shari Girl
#13636 40,927 births
Shawn Girl
#7307 33,055 births
Compare Sharla side by side: Sharla vs Sharon Sharla vs Shannon Sharla vs Shawna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Sharla
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1932–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Sharla: #8498 Girls' Name - 6,444 Births, Peak 1972." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/sharla. 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 Sharla 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 July 2026.