Shepherd
Shepherd is a surname, cognate of the English word "Shepherd". Several common spelling variations exist, including Shepperd, Sheperd, Shephard, Sheppard, and Shepard.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Shepherd
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Shepherd is a surname, cognate of the English word "Shepherd". Several common spelling variations exist, including Shepperd, Sheperd, Shephard, Sheppard, and Shepard.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Shepherd
American parents first put Shepherd on the record books as a baby boy name in 1886, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 1,146 Shepherds were born — ranking #290 that year. About 67% of every Shepherd on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Shepherd ranks #290 for baby boys with 1,146 births, rising sharply (+126% over the past five years). All told, over 9K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Shepherd
Phonetically similar names — useful when Shepherd 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 Shepherd
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About the name Shepherd
Shepherd is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1886 and has accumulated 9K births in the dataset. Shepherd's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #290. Use the chart and map above to compare Shepherd's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- 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.