Sheldon
Sheldon is an English surname, as well as a masculine given name, combining the Old English scelf and the place name haddon, which in turn comes from the words hǣth (heath) and dūn. Popular family history groups and notable people with the name include:
- English
Meaning & Origin of Sheldon
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Sheldon is an English surname, as well as a masculine given name, combining the Old English scelf and the place name haddon, which in turn comes from the words hǣth (heath) and dūn. Popular family history groups and notable people with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Sheldon
The earliest SSA record of Sheldon as a baby boy name dates back to 1881, when 7 babies received it. 1992 was its biggest year on record, with 608 newborns named Sheldon — #380 in the national rankings. As of 2026, Sheldon ranks #2,119 for baby boys with 71 births, falling sharply (-33%). All told, over 37K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Sheldon
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Sheldon. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Shel
Names that sound like Sheldon
Phonetically similar names — useful when Sheldon 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 Sheldon
What does the name Sheldon mean?
What is the origin of the name Sheldon?
How popular is Sheldon in 2026?
When was Sheldon most popular?
In which U.S. states is Sheldon most popular?
Is Sheldon a unisex name?
What names go well with Sheldon?
What are nicknames or variants of Sheldon?
About the name Sheldon
Sheldon is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1881 and has accumulated 37K births in the dataset. Sheldon's peak popularity came in 1992 when it ranked #247. Use the chart and map above to compare Sheldon's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1992 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.