Total births
36,676
Boys' name · since 1881
Sheldon
Since 1881, U.S. Social Security records show 36,676 babies named Sheldon, peaking in 1992. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1940
- among boys today
- 36,676
- born since 1881
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 86%
- more common than other boys
36,676 babies have been named Sheldon since 1881, making it today's #1940 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Sheldon recorded 36,676 times among boys since 1881, holding rank #1940 nationally today, ahead of 86% of boys, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #1940 among boys today
- 36,676 born since 1881
- 1990s peak decade
- 86% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Sheldon is currently the #1940 boys' name in America, more common than 86% of boys - 36,676 born since 1881, peaking in the 1990s.
- #1940
- among boys today
- 36,676
- born since 1881
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 86%
- more common than other boys
Sheldon vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1940
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 86% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
13% of everyone ever named Sheldon was born in this single decade.
1992
Single peak year
608 babies were named Sheldon in 1992 - its busiest year on record.
How Sheldon compares
36,676 Top 4% higher than 96% 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
Sheldon's all-time total is 100x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Sheldon | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 36,676 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 608 | 23 | 22,252 |
Sheldon's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Sheldon's SSA record in two at 1957 and the more recent half accounts for 58% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 42%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1885, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1992 peak of 608, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Sheldon at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1992
Current rank
#1,940
Active since
1881
Sheldon popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (1992)
- 608
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Sheldon popularity over time - girls
496 total births recorded since 1931 (Sheldon as girls' name)
Sheldon by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Sheldon's strongest decade.
4,837 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 13% of all-time use.
Sheldon births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 36
1880s
36 births
- 1890s 41
1890s
41 births
- 1900s 126
1900s
126 births
- 1910s 1,037
1910s
1,037 births
- 1920s
1920s
3,078 births
- 1930s
1930s
4,296 births
- 1940s
1940s
4,038 births
- 1950s
1950s
3,804 births
- 1960s
1960s
4,032 births
- 1970s
1970s
3,557 births
- 1980s
1980s
3,340 births
- 1990s
1990s
4,837 births
- 2000s
2000s
2,469 births
- 2010s 1,579
2010s
1,579 births
- 2020s 406
2020s
406 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 4,837 births (13% of all-time use).
How Sheldon 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 Sheldon's total volume
Sheldon vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Sheldon by state
Where Sheldon concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 6,186 | 16.9% |
| #2 | California | | 2,484 | 6.8% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 2,392 | 6.5% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 2,202 | 6.0% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 1,370 | 3.7% |
| #6 | Texas | | 1,367 | 3.7% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 1,351 | 3.7% |
| #8 | Florida | | 1,209 | 3.3% |
New York share of Sheldon's total US births 16.9%
Even split
6,186 of 36,676 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 49 reporting states.
Sheldon appears in 49 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sheldon? ▼
36,676 babies have been named Sheldon since 1881. It currently ranks #1940 among boys. The peak year was 1992 with 608 births.
When was Sheldon most popular? ▼
Sheldon was most popular in the 1990s decade with 4,837 total births. The single peak year was 1992.
Where is Sheldon most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Sheldon are New York (6,186 births), California (2,484 births), Pennsylvania (2,392 births).
How long has the name Sheldon been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Sheldon since 1881 -- 145 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Sheldon? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sherman, Shelby, Shelton, Shea, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Sheldon's data
- Sheldon's decade-level peak was the 1990s (4,837 total births); usage has since declined to 406 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Sheldons (6,186 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Sheldon
Nearby Names Like Sheldon
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sheldon
Sherman Boy
#4701 39,190 births
Shelby Boy
#2595 16,449 births
Shelton Boy
#4707 11,973 births
Shea Boy
#1497 8,537 births
Shepherd Boy
#310 7,785 births
Compare Sheldon side by side: Sheldon vs Sherman Sheldon vs Shelby Sheldon vs Shelton
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Sheldon
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, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Sheldon: #1940 Boys' Name - 36,676 Births, Peak 1992." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/sheldon. 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 Sheldon 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.