UK girl's name
Sharney
A feminine name possibly derived from the Irish surname Sharry/Sheary.
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.
Sharney is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sharney popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2005 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4798, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 7 births.
This profile covers 22 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 1996 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.
The latest count is about 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 22 living people in the UK are called Sharney. 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
- • Sharney ranked #4798 for girls in England and Wales in 2005, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 7 girls were registered as Sharney.
- • About 22 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sharney as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4798
2005
Births in 2005
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
7 births
Estimated living
22
2026
Meaning
What does Sharney mean?
The name Sharney is believed to have originated from the Old English word "scir," which means "bright" or "shining." This suggests that the name may have been derived from an Anglo-Saxon background, possibly emerging during the 5th to 11th centuries AD when Old English was widely spoken in parts of Britain.
While the name's exact origins are unclear, it is thought to have been used as a descriptive nickname or a shortened form of a longer name, such as Sharnetta or Sharnell. The earliest recorded use of the name Sharney dates back to the late 16th century in England, where it appeared in parish records and census documents.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Sharney was Sharney Whittaker, a British merchant who lived in London during the late 16th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the spice trade and had business dealings with the East India Company.
In the 17th century, a notable figure named Sharney Fenton was a prominent landowner and magistrate in the county of Derbyshire, England. He played a role in local governance and the administration of justice during that period.
During the 18th century, Sharney Blackwell gained recognition as a skilled seamstress and embroiderer in the city of Bristol, England. Her intricate needlework was highly sought after by the wealthy and aristocratic families of the time.
In the 19th century, Sharney Fielding was a British explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in Africa and documented her observations of the continent's flora and fauna. Her writings and illustrations were published in several scientific journals of the era.
Another noteworthy individual with the name Sharney was Sharney Pemberton, an English mathematician and astronomer who lived in the late 19th century. She made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and was recognized for her precise calculations of planetary orbits.
While the name Sharney has been used throughout history, it has remained relatively uncommon compared to other given names. Its unique and distinctive sound, coupled with its potential connection to the concept of brightness or radiance, has made it a name with an intriguing history and cultural significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sharney over time
The chart below shows babies named Sharney registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Sharney, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2005, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sharney by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sharney 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 | #4327 | 12 | 4 |
| 1990s | #2972 | 10 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Sharney
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
FAQ
Sharney: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sharney in the UK right now?
In 2005, Sharney was ranked #4798 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Sharney most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 7 babies registered as Sharney in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sharney?
A feminine name possibly derived from the Irish surname Sharry/Sheary.
How many people are called Sharney in the UK?
A total of 22 babies have been registered as Sharney across the 6 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.