Boy · #5,558 in 2026

Sheikh

Sheikh is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim scholar.

Current Rank
#5,558
Peak Rank
#4,276 (2020)
Total Babies
439
5-Yr Trend
+14%
2008
First Year
2020
Last Year
2008
Peak Year
#17501
Peak Rank
15
Total Count
3
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Sheikh

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

Sheikh is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim scholar.

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

Etymology
Kurdish sheikhs, 1895 The word in Arabic stems from a triliteral root connected with aging: ش-ي-خ , shīn-yā'-khā' . The title carries the meaning leader, elder , or noble , especially in the Arabian Peninsula within the Tribes of Arabia , where Shaikh became a traditional title of a Bedouin tribal leader in recent centuries. Due to the cultural impact of Arab civilization, and especially through the spread of Islam, the word has gained currency as a religious term or general honorific in many other parts of the world as well, notably in Muslim cultures in Africa and Asia . [ citation needed ]

The Story of Sheikh

Sheikh first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1991, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 20 Sheikhs were born — ranking #4,697 that year. As of 2026, Sheikh ranks #5,558 for baby boys with 17 births, gradually rising (+14%). In total, more than 439 Sheikhs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Sheikh

Phonetically similar names — useful when Sheikh 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 Sheikh

What does the name Sheikh mean?
Sheikh is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim scholar.
How popular is Sheikh in 2026?
In 2026, Sheikh ranks #5,558 among boys' names in the U.S., with 17 babies given the name that year.
When was Sheikh most popular?
Sheikh reached its peak popularity in 2020, ranking #4,276 that year with 20 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Sheikh most popular?
Sheikh has historically been most popular in New York. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Sheikh.
Is Sheikh a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Sheikh is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Sheikh?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Sheikh include Vin, Neftaly, Alexy. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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About the name Sheikh

Sheikh is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1991 and has accumulated 439 births in the dataset. Sheikh's peak popularity came in 2020 when it ranked #4,276. Use the chart and map above to compare Sheikh'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.