UK boy's name
Sharmake
A masculine Somali name meaning "the illustrious", "the famous one".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2005. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sharmake is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Sharmake popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2005 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3208, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 4 births.
This profile covers 7 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2002 to 2005. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Sharmake is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 7 living people in the UK are called Sharmake. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2006 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sharmake ranked #3208 for boys in England and Wales in 2005, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2005, when 4 boys were registered as Sharmake.
- • About 7 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sharmake as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3208
2005
Births in 2005
4
Latest year
Peak year
2005
4 births
Estimated living
7
2026
Meaning
What does Sharmake mean?
Sharmake is a given name of Somali origin. It is derived from the Arabic name Sharmarkah, which is a combination of the words "shar" meaning "glory" and "markah" meaning "high place" or "elevated rank."
The name has been in use among the Somali people for centuries, with its roots tracing back to the medieval era when Arabic influence spread throughout the Horn of Africa region. It is believed to have gained popularity during the time of the Adal Sultanate, a multi-ethnic Muslim empire that existed in the region from the 9th to the 16th century.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Sharmake can be found in the 16th-century Somali chronicles, where it is mentioned as the name of a prominent leader and warrior during the conflict between the Adal Sultanate and the Abyssinian Kingdom. This leader, Sharmake Ibn Ali, is described as a skilled strategist and a fierce fighter who played a crucial role in the military campaigns of the time.
Throughout history, the name Sharmake has been borne by several notable individuals. In the 18th century, Sharmake Farah was a renowned Somali poet and scholar whose works have been preserved and studied by generations of scholars. Sharmake Noor, born in the late 19th century, was a respected religious leader and teacher who played a significant role in the spread of Islam in the Somali region.
In the 20th century, Sharmake Abdullahi was a prominent Somali politician and diplomat who served as the first ambassador of Somalia to the United Nations after the country gained independence in 1960. Sharmake Ali Ahmed, born in 1945, was a Somali writer and journalist who made significant contributions to the development of Somali literature and journalism.
More recently, Sharmake Ahmed Ismail Salah, born in 1955, is a Somali politician and diplomat who has held various positions in the Somali government, including serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2017.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sharmake over time
The chart below shows babies named Sharmake registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 to 2005. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sharmake, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2005, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sharmake by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sharmake was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #3217 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Sharmake
- Samuel 108,505
- Sebastian 33,008
- Sam 20,889
- Stanley 16,354
- Sonny 15,028
- Sean 15,006
- Scott 12,587
- Seth 9,841
- Syed 9,050
- Stephen 8,884
- Spencer 8,333
- Steven 6,970
FAQ
Sharmake: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sharmake in the UK right now?
In 2005, Sharmake was ranked #3208 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Sharmake most popular?
The peak year on record was 2005, with 4 babies registered as Sharmake in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sharmake?
A masculine Somali name meaning "the illustrious", "the famous one".
How many people are called Sharmake in the UK?
A total of 7 babies have been registered as Sharmake across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.