Boy · #6,248 in 2026

Sharif

Sharīf or Sherif, also spelled shareef, feminine sharīfa (شريفة), plural ashrāf (أشراف), shurafāʾ (شرفاء), or shurfāʾ, is a title used to designate a person descended, or claiming to be descended, from the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

  • Arabic
  • Urdu
  • Pashto
  • Persian
Current Rank
#6,248
Peak Rank
#954 (1980)
Total Babies
3K
5-Yr Trend
-29%
1970
First Year
1970
Last Year
1970
Peak Year
#7996
Peak Rank
5
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Sharif

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Sharīf or Sherif, also spelled shareef, feminine sharīfa (شريفة), plural ashrāf (أشراف), shurafāʾ (شرفاء), or shurfāʾ, is a title used to designate a person descended, or claiming to be descended, from the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Arabic
  • Urdu
  • Pashto
  • Persian
  • Tajik
  • Uzbek
  • Malay
Etymology
The word derives from the Arabic root sh–r–f, which expresses meanings related to honor, nobility, and prominence. It has no etymological connection with the English term sheriff , which comes from the Old English word scīrgerefa , meaning "shire-reeve", the local reeve (enforcement agent) of the king in the shire (county).
Origin & history
Precise usage of the term has varied both historically and geographically. Often, the terms sharīf and sayyid were used interchangeably, while in other contexts they referred to Hasanid vs. Husaynid descent (especially in the Hejaz , where the Sharifate of Mecca was restricted to persons of Hasanid descent). In still other contexts, they both referred to some form of Hashimite descent, but were linked to a different and specific social status. In most places, the term has functioned as a mark of nobility (both the Abbasids and the Fatimids were at one time holder of the caliphate ), except in

The Story of Sharif

The earliest SSA record of Sharif as a baby boy name dates back to 1963, when 5 babies received it. 1980 was its biggest year on record, with 82 newborns named Sharif — #996 in the national rankings. About 25% of every Sharif on record arrived during the 1990s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Sharif ranks #6,248 for baby boys with 14 births, falling sharply (-29%). All told, over 3K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Sharif

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Sharif. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Sharif

Phonetically similar names — useful when Sharif 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 Sharif

What does the name Sharif mean?
Sharīf or Sherif, also spelled shareef, feminine sharīfa (شريفة), plural ashrāf (أشراف), shurafāʾ (شرفاء), or shurfāʾ, is a title used to designate a person descended, or claiming to be descended, from the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
What is the origin of the name Sharif?
Sharif has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Arabic, Urdu, Pashto, Persian, Tajik, Uzbek, Malay.
How popular is Sharif in 2026?
In 2026, Sharif ranks #6,248 among boys' names in the U.S., with 14 babies given the name that year.
When was Sharif most popular?
Sharif reached its peak popularity in 1980, ranking #954 that year with 82 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Sharif most popular?
Sharif has historically been most popular in New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Sharif.
Is Sharif a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Sharif is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Sharif?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Sharif include Teodoro, Lydell, Bilal. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Sharif?
Common variants and related forms of Sharif include Cherif, Shareef, Sherif. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

👧
Altonia
Peak #7996
👧
Angil
Peak #7996
👧
Anite
Peak #7996
👧
Bethellen
Peak #7996
👧
Brijida
Peak #7996
👧
Cama
Peak #7996
👧
Carice
Peak #7996
👧
Carlitta
Peak #7996

About the name Sharif

Sharif is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1963 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Sharif's peak popularity came in 1980 when it ranked #954. Use the chart and map above to compare Sharif's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.