Total births
177
Unisex name · since 1980
Sher
Sher has 177 recorded births since 1980 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2023 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #10174
- among boys today
- 177
- born since 1980
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 29%
- more common than other boys
177 babies have been named Sher since 1980, making it today's #10174 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Sher recorded 177 times among boys since 1980, holding rank #10174 nationally today, ahead of 29% of boys, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1980 to 2025.
- #10174 among boys today
- 177 born since 1980
- 1980s peak decade
- 29% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Sher is currently the #10174 unisex name in America, more common than 29% of boys - 177 born since 1980, peaking in the 1980s.
- #10174
- among boys today
- 177
- born since 1980
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 29%
- more common than other boys
Sher vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#10174
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 29% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Sher was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
16 babies were named Sher in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Sher compares
177 36th percentile among 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
Sher's all-time total is 52% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Sher | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 177 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 16 | 23 | 22,252 |
Sher's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Sher's SSA record in two at 1996 and the more recent half accounts for 47% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 53%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1980, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2023 peak of 16, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Sher at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2023
Current rank
#10,174
Active since
1980
Sher popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1980–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 46 years of records
Sher popularity over time - girls
124 total births recorded since 1953 (Sher as girls' name)
Sher by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Sher's strongest decade.
59 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Sher births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s
1980s
59 births
- 1990s
1990s
46 births
- 2000s 10
2000s
10 births
- 2010s 17
2010s
17 births
- 2020s
2020s
45 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 59 births (33% of all-time use).
Sher by state
Where Sher concentrates geographically, total births since 1980
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 27 | 15.3% |
California share of Sher's total US births 15.3%
27 of 177 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sher? ▼
Since 1980, Social Security records show 177 babies named Sher. Today it holds rank #10174 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2023, with 16 births.
When was Sher most popular? ▼
Sher was most popular in the 1980s decade with 59 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Where is Sher most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Sher are California (27 births).
Is Sher a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Sher is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 177 births, and as a girl's name it has 124 births.
How long has the name Sher been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Sher since 1980 -- 46 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Sher? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sherman, Sheldon, Shelby, Shelton, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Sher's data
- Sher's usage has stayed within range of its 1980s decade-level peak (59 total births) through the 2020s (45) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Shers (27 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Sher
Nearby Names Like Sher
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sher
Sherman Boy
#4701 39,190 births
Sheldon Boy
#1940 36,676 births
Shelby Boy
#2595 16,449 births
Shelton Boy
#4707 11,973 births
Shea Boy
#1497 8,537 births
Compare Sher side by side: Sher vs Sherman Sher vs Sheldon Sher vs Shelby
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Sher
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, 1980–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Sher: #10174 Unisex Name - 177 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/sher. 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 Sher 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.