Boy · #3,779 in 2026

Shep

Name: Popularity of the name Shep in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Shep, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#3,779

Peak Rank

#848 (2023)

Total Babies

269

5-Yr Trend

+77%

1884

First Year

2026

Last Year

2023

Peak Year

#848

Peak Rank

269

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Shep

Shep first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1884, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 30 Sheps were born — ranking #3,710 that year. As of 2026, Shep ranks #3,779 for baby boys with 30 births, rising sharply (+77% over the past five years). In total, more than 269 Sheps have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Shep

Phonetically similar names — useful when Shep is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Schep
Ship
Shipp
Shupp
Schupp
Schip
Shop
Shape
Sheep
Shap
Shoop
Shoppe

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Shep

What does the name Shep mean?

Shep is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1884. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Shep in 2026?

In 2026, Shep ranks #3,779 among boys' names in the U.S., with 30 babies given the name that year.

When was Shep most popular?

Shep reached its peak popularity in 2023, ranking #848 that year with 30 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Shep most popular?

Shep has historically been most popular in Texas. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Shep.

Is Shep a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Shep is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Shep?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Shep include Angela, Yaakov, Elizabeth. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Shep

Shep is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1884 and has accumulated 269 births in the dataset. Shep's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #848. Use the chart and map above to compare Shep'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.