Total births
737
Boys' name · since 1916
Sterlin
Since 1916, U.S. Social Security records show 737 babies named Sterlin, peaking in 1993. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6869
- among boys today
- 737
- born since 1916
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other boys
Sterlin currently ranks #6869 among boys' names in America, with 737 babies recorded since 1916.
Sterlin has 737 recorded births among boys since 1916, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #6869 as of the latest data, more common than 52% 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 1916 to 2025.
- #6869 among boys today
- 737 born since 1916
- 1990s peak decade
- 52% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Sterlin is currently the #6869 boys' name in America, more common than 52% of boys - 737 born since 1916, peaking in the 1990s.
- #6869
- among boys today
- 737
- born since 1916
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other boys
Sterlin vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6869
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 52% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Sterlin was born in this single decade.
1993
Single peak year
20 babies were named Sterlin in 1993 - its busiest year on record.
How Sterlin compares
737 Top 36% higher than 64% 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
Sterlin's all-time total is 101% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Sterlin | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 737 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 20 | 23 | 22,252 |
Sterlin's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Sterlin splits its recorded history at 1979: 61% of all births land in the more recent half, 39% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1924 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1993 peak of 20 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Sterlin at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1993
Current rank
#6,869
Active since
1916
Sterlin popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2025
- Peak year (1993)
- 20
- Annual births at peak, across 110 years of records
Sterlin by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Sterlin's strongest decade.
153 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Sterlin births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 26
1910s
26 births
- 1920s 44
1920s
44 births
- 1930s 41
1930s
41 births
- 1940s 40
1940s
40 births
- 1950s 49
1950s
49 births
- 1960s 35
1960s
35 births
- 1970s 60
1970s
60 births
- 1980s
1980s
72 births
- 1990s
1990s
153 births
- 2000s
2000s
96 births
- 2010s
2010s
80 births
- 2020s 41
2020s
41 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 153 births (21% of all-time use).
How Sterlin 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 Sterlin's total volume
Sterlin vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sterlin? ▼
Sterlin has been given to 737 babies in the U.S. since 1916, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #6869 as of the latest data. 20 babies were born in 1993, its single highest year.
When was Sterlin most popular? ▼
Sterlin was most popular in the 1990s decade with 153 total births. The single peak year was 1993.
How long has the name Sterlin been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Sterlin since 1916 -- 110 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Sterlin? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Steven, Stephen, Steve, Sterling, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Sterlin's data
- Sterlin's decade-level peak was the 1990s (153 total births); usage has since declined to 41 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Sterlin
Nearby Names Like Sterlin
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sterlin
Steven Boy
#268 1,293,124 births
Stephen Boy
#374 864,739 births
Steve Boy
#1686 241,224 births
Sterling Boy
#370 37,474 births
Stewart Boy
#3898 31,200 births
Compare Sterlin side by side: Sterlin vs Steven Sterlin vs Stephen Sterlin vs Steve
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Sterlin
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, 1916–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Sterlin: #6869 Boys' Name - 737 Births, Peak 1993." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/sterlin. 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 Sterlin 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.