Schaefer
Schaefer is an alternative spelling and cognate for the German word schäfer, meaning 'shepherd', which itself descends from the Old High German scāphare. Variants "Shaefer", "Schäfer", the additional alternative spelling "Schäffer", and the anglicised forms "Schaeffer", "Schaffer", "Shaffer", "Shafer", and "Schafer" are all common surnames.
Meaning & Origin of Schaefer
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Schaefer is an alternative spelling and cognate for the German word schäfer, meaning 'shepherd', which itself descends from the Old High German scāphare. Variants "Shaefer", "Schäfer", the additional alternative spelling "Schäffer", and the anglicised forms "Schaeffer", "Schaffer", "Shaffer", "Shafer", and "Schafer" are all common surnames.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Schaefer
Schaefer first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1991, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2005, when 9 Schaefers were born — ranking #7,638 that year. As of 2026, Schaefer ranks #12,301 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 68 Schaefers have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Schaefer
Phonetically similar names — useful when Schaefer is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Schaefer
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About the name Schaefer
Schaefer is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1991 and has accumulated 68 births in the dataset. Schaefer's peak popularity came in 2005 when it ranked #7,638. Use the chart and map above to compare Schaefer's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
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Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.