Boys' name · since 1930

Sherlock

78 babies named Sherlock in U.S. Social Security records since 1930, with the highest year being 2017. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.

#19,117 of 45,481
all-time among boys
78
born since 1930
2010s
peak decade

78 boys have been named Sherlock since 1930, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.

Social Security Administration records show Sherlock recorded 78 times among boys since 1930, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1930 to 2022.

  • #19,117 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 78 born since 1930
  • 2010s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sherlock ranks #19,117 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 78 born since 1930, peaking in the 2010s.

#19,117 of 45,481
all-time among boys
78
born since 1930
2010s
peak decade
Below the archive median
All-time archive position

Sherlock's 78 recorded births place it above 57.94% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

National only
State-record footprint

No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.

Sherlock's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Sherlock's SSA record in two at 2014 and the more recent half accounts for 62% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 38%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1930, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2017 peak of 12, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Sherlock popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1930–2022

Last recorded 2022
Peak year (2017)
12
Annual births at peak, across 93 years of records
468101214 19301949195519782012201420152016201720192022 5

Sherlock by decade

2010s is the heaviest window (49 births, 63% of the file).

2010s was Sherlock's strongest decade.

49 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 63% of all-time use.

Sherlock births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 2010s at 49 births (63% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Sherlock? ▼
Since 1930, Social Security records show 78 babies named Sherlock. Across the full SSA archive it ranks #19,117 of 45,481 boys' names by total births. The most recent recorded year was 2022. Its busiest year on record was 2017, with 12 births.
Where does Sherlock sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sherlock ranks #19,117 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Sherlock most popular? ▼
Sherlock was most popular in the 2010s decade with 49 total births. The single peak year was 2017.
How long has the name Sherlock been used? ▼
Sherlock has been recorded in Social Security data since 1930, spanning 93 years of data through 2022.
What names are similar to Sherlock? ▼
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 Sherlock's data

  • Sherlock's decade-level peak was the 2010s (49 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Sherlock

Nearby Names Like Sherlock

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sherlock

Sherman Boy
#5045 39,190 births
Sheldon Boy
#2767 36,676 births
Shelby Boy
#2992 16,449 births
Shelton Boy
#4710 11,973 births
Shea Boy
#1549 8,537 births

Compare Sherlock side by side: Sherlock vs Sherman Sherlock vs Sheldon Sherlock vs Shelby

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Finas
78 births · Peak 1916
Arling
78 births · Peak 1921
Fremon
78 births · Peak 1938
Hancel
78 births · Peak 1922
Vence
78 births · Peak 1955
Neils
78 births · Peak 1918
Hommer
78 births · Peak 1942
Kazuto
78 births · Peak 1919

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Sherlock: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.

Data Sources

Data as of August 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, 1930–2022 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

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 Sherlock 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 August 2026.