Sheldon
Last seen for girls in 2002 at #11,108 · #2,765 for boys in 2025, 46 births
Given to boys 98.7% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 1936 · 453 births
- Debut · boys
- 7 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 36,676since 1881
Sheldon over time
Rank among boys' names. Sheldon has never cracked the top 200 here.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | — | #2,765 | 46 | |
| 2024 | — | #1,938 | 81 | |
| 2023 | — | #2,315 | 60 | |
| 2022 | — | #2,150 | 68 | |
| 2021 | — | #2,040 | 72 | |
| 2020 | — | #1,872 | 79 | |
| 2019 | — | #1,534 | 110 | |
| 2018 | — | #1,396 | 126 | |
| 2017 | — | #1,335 | 134 | |
| 2016 | — | #1,356 | 131 | |
| 2015 | — | #1,279 | 140 | |
| 2014 | — | #1,143 | 166 | |
| 2013 | — | #1,054 | 180 | |
| 2012 | — | #942 | 216 | |
| 2011 | — | #1,066 | 176 | |
| 2010 | — | #984 | 200 | |
| 2009 | — | #1,027 | 189 | |
| 2008 | — | #952 | 211 | |
| 2007 | — | #955 | 206 | |
| 2006 | — | #841 | 242 | |
| 2005 | — | #772 | 257 | |
| 2004 | — | #760 | 239 | |
| 2003 | — | #767 | 230 | |
| 2002 | #11,108 | 8 | #687 | 265 |
| 2001 | #9,351 | 10 | #601 | 329 |
| 2000 | #10,745 | 8 | #623 | 301 |
| 1999 | #9,479 | 9 | #552 | 363 |
| 1998 | #6,360 | 15 | #520 | 401 |
| 1997 | #6,483 | 14 | #475 | 454 |
| 1996 | #5,280 | 18 | #476 | 460 |
| 1995 | #4,846 | 20 | #458 | 493 |
| 1994 | #4,238 | 24 | #437 | 520 |
| 1993 | #7,498 | 11 | #446 | 490 |
| 1992 | #5,718 | 16 | #380 | 608 |
| 1991 | #5,659 | 16 | #414 | 547 |
| 1990 | #5,835 | 15 | #441 | 501 |
| 1989 | #6,955 | 11 | #484 | 391 |
| 1988 | #5,895 | 13 | #462 | 387 |
| 1987 | #7,987 | 8 | #462 | 367 |
| 1986 | #4,347 | 18 | #463 | 352 |
| 1985 | #5,348 | 13 | #480 | 326 |
| 1984 | #10,422 | 5 | #479 | 305 |
| 1983 | #10,275 | 5 | #491 | 294 |
| 1982 | #9,237 | 6 | #513 | 274 |
| 1981 | #8,128 | 7 | #462 | 323 |
| 1980 | — | #468 | 321 | |
| 1979 | #9,010 | 6 | #451 | 322 |
| 1978 | #6,385 | 9 | #448 | 316 |
| 1977 | #7,567 | 7 | #430 | 339 |
| 1976 | #8,156 | 6 | #392 | 391 |
| 1975 | #6,484 | 8 | #399 | 368 |
| 1974 | #6,258 | 8 | #411 | 361 |
| 1973 | #5,580 | 9 | #426 | 338 |
| 1972 | #6,558 | 7 | #440 | 324 |
| 1971 | #6,619 | 7 | #412 | 382 |
| 1970 | #5,413 | 9 | #392 | 416 |
| 1969 | #4,418 | 11 | #390 | 408 |
| 1968 | #7,016 | 5 | #388 | 402 |
| 1967 | #6,042 | 6 | #382 | 390 |
| 1966 | #4,493 | 9 | #386 | 392 |
| 1965 | #3,402 | 14 | #393 | 396 |
| 1964 | #6,009 | 6 | #393 | 412 |
| 1963 | #3,458 | 14 | #404 | 398 |
| 1962 | #5,293 | 7 | #384 | 436 |
| 1961 | #6,567 | 5 | #394 | 408 |
| 1960 | — | #401 | 390 | |
| 1959 | — | #408 | 377 | |
| 1958 | — | #385 | 412 | |
| 1957 | #4,918 | 7 | #373 | 425 |
| 1956 | — | #363 | 414 | |
| 1955 | #5,828 | 5 | #383 | 353 |
| 1954 | #3,967 | 9 | #354 | 409 |
| 1953 | #5,673 | 5 | #391 | 323 |
| 1952 | — | #354 | 367 | |
| 1951 | #3,714 | 9 | #380 | 320 |
| 1950 | #4,738 | 6 | #335 | 404 |
| 1949 | — | #345 | 377 | |
| 1948 | #5,243 | 5 | #336 | 401 |
| 1947 | — | #333 | 429 | |
| 1946 | — | #323 | 395 | |
| 1945 | — | #309 | 368 | |
| 1944 | — | #310 | 380 | |
| 1943 | #3,801 | 7 | #286 | 458 |
| 1942 | — | #292 | 432 | |
| 1941 | #3,559 | 7 | #283 | 414 |
| 1940 | — | #284 | 384 | |
| 1939 | — | #285 | 374 | |
| 1938 | — | #262 | 438 | |
| 1937 | — | #257 | 437 | |
| 1936 | #3,103 | 8 | #247 | 453 |
| 1935 | — | #249 | 465 | |
| 1934 | — | #250 | 462 | |
| 1933 | — | #252 | 429 | |
| 1932 | — | #265 | 423 | |
| 1931 | #4,331 | 5 | #272 | 410 |
| 1930 | — | #282 | 405 | |
| 1929 | — | #276 | 403 | |
| 1928 | — | #276 | 421 | |
| 1927 | — | #302 | 370 | |
| 1926 | — | #303 | 351 | |
| 1925 | — | #318 | 323 | |
| 1924 | — | #329 | 311 | |
| 1923 | — | #380 | 243 | |
| 1922 | — | #391 | 233 | |
| 1921 | — | #406 | 223 | |
| 1920 | — | #422 | 200 | |
| 1919 | — | #416 | 198 | |
| 1918 | — | #455 | 170 | |
| 1917 | — | #470 | 147 | |
| 1916 | — | #488 | 135 | |
| 1915 | — | #493 | 125 | |
| 1914 | — | #516 | 90 | |
| 1913 | — | #564 | 59 | |
| 1912 | — | #463 | 73 | |
| 1911 | — | #605 | 25 | |
| 1910 | — | #782 | 15 | |
| 1909 | — | #653 | 17 | |
| 1908 | — | #657 | 16 | |
| 1907 | — | #664 | 15 | |
| 1906 | — | #568 | 17 | |
| 1905 | — | #1,233 | 5 | |
| 1904 | — | #686 | 12 | |
| 1903 | — | #734 | 10 | |
| 1902 | — | #744 | 10 | |
| 1901 | — | #637 | 11 | |
| 1900 | — | #699 | 13 | |
| 1899 | — | #1,051 | 5 | |
| 1898 | — | #1,002 | 6 | |
| 1897 | — | #852 | 7 | |
| 1896 | — | #826 | 8 | |
| 1895 | — | — | ||
| 1894 | — | #954 | 6 | |
| 1893 | — | — | ||
| 1892 | — | #748 | 9 | |
| 1891 | — | — | ||
| 1890 | — | — | ||
| 1889 | — | #878 | 6 | |
| 1888 | — | — | ||
| 1887 | — | #819 | 6 | |
| 1886 | — | #959 | 5 | |
| 1885 | — | #936 | 5 | |
| 1884 | — | #764 | 7 | |
| 1883 | — | — | ||
| 1882 | — | — | ||
| 1881 | — | #706 | 7 | |
| 1880 | — | — | ||
The first year at least five boys were named Sheldon! It came in at #706, and was given to 7 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1882–1883, when fewer than 5 boys a year got the name.
Where Sheldon is popular in 1978
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Hawaii#127 · 1 in 577
- North Dakota#154 · 1 in 1,051
- Pennsylvania#253 · 1 in 3,057
- Utah#284 · 1 in 2,553
- Wisconsin#295 · 1 in 4,016
Best ever in a state: #65 in Hawaii, 1977.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | #127 | 11 | 1 in 577 |
| North Dakota | #154 | 5 | 1 in 1,051 |
| Pennsylvania | #253 | 24 | 1 in 3,057 |
| Utah | #284 | 7 | 1 in 2,553 |
| Wisconsin | #295 | 8 | 1 in 4,016 |
| South Carolina | #296 | 9 | 1 in 2,274 |
| Kansas | #301 | 5 | 1 in 3,116 |
| Virginia | #341 | 9 | 1 in 3,558 |
| Arizona | #345 | 7 | 1 in 2,712 |
| Maryland | #349 | 5 | 1 in 4,269 |
| Washington | #352 | 7 | 1 in 3,825 |
| Oklahoma | #353 | 6 | 1 in 3,309 |
| Minnesota | #354 | 5 | 1 in 5,893 |
| North Carolina | #364 | 10 | 1 in 3,717 |
| Indiana | #367 | 8 | 1 in 4,913 |
| New York | #376 | 28 | 1 in 3,938 |
| Louisiana | #393 | 11 | 1 in 3,004 |
| Georgia | #402 | 10 | 1 in 3,776 |
| Mississippi | #408 | 5 | 1 in 3,692 |
| Michigan | #445 | 10 | 1 in 6,425 |
| Illinois | #467 | 14 | 1 in 5,671 |
| Tennessee | #468 | 5 | 1 in 6,387 |
| Texas | #493 | 24 | 1 in 4,797 |
| Florida | #514 | 9 | 1 in 5,668 |
| New Jersey | #569 | 5 | 1 in 8,277 |
| California | #595 | 21 | 1 in 8,044 |
| Ohio | #615 | 6 | 1 in 12,845 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Sheldon
- 827 spots since 2024 (#1,938 → #2,765)
- 893 spots since 2020 (#1,872 → #2,765)
- 1,486 spots since 2015 (#1,279 → #2,765)
- Biggest jump: 665 spots in 1906 (#1,233 → #568)
- Biggest drop: 547 spots in 1905 (#686 → #1,233)
- Debuted 1881
- Peaked 1936 at #247 (453 births)
- Births halved by 2007, 71 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 120 yrs · run 1906–2008
- Highest: 1 in 2,235 boys born in 1934 were named Sheldon (0.04%)
- Latest: 1 in 37,132 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
- Its best rank, #247 in 1936, was only 1 in 2,290 (0.04%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 13.2% of all boys named Sheldon (4,837) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 36 | #706 (1881) | #844 |
| 1890s | 41 | #748 (1892) | #906 |
| 1900s | 126 | #568 (1906) | #728 |
| 1910s | 1,037 | #416 (1919) | #525 |
| 1920s | 3,078 | #276 (1928) | #340 |
| 1930s | 4,296 | #247 (1936) | #262 |
| 1940s | 4,038 | #283 (1941) | #310 |
| 1950s | 3,804 | #335 (1950) | #373 |
| 1960s | 4,032 | #382 (1967) | #392 |
| 1970s | 3,557 | #392 (1970) | #420 |
| 1980s | 3,340 | #462 (1988) | #476 |
| 1990s | 4,837 | #380 (1992) | #460 |
| 2000s | 2,469 | #601 (2001) | #799 |
| 2010s | 1,579 | #942 (2012) | #1,209 |
| 2020s | 406 | #1,872 (2020) | #2,180 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Sheldon in 1978
Top girls' names in 1978
Top boys' names in 1978
More about 1978
girls
1,531,859 girls got a published name in 1978; 1 in 170,207 of them was named Sheldon, which outranked 44.4% of the 11,475 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #5,958Yvonna10
- #5,958Zelma10
- #5,958Zorana10
- #6,385Sheldon9
- #6,385Abagail9
- #6,385Adenike9
- #6,385Aditi9
- #6,948Aarin8
- #6,948Abeer8
- #6,948Adel8
Tied with 562 names at #6,385; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,641,837 boys got a published name in 1978; 1 in 5,196 of them was named Sheldon, which outranked 93.4% of the 6,762 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).