UK boy's name
Sheng
A Chinese name meaning victory, prosperity, or flourishing.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2010. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sheng is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Sheng popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2010 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3332, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 7 births.
This profile covers 21 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2006 to 2010. 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 71% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 21 living people in the UK are called Sheng. 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 2011 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sheng ranked #3332 for boys in England and Wales in 2010, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 7 boys were registered as Sheng.
- • About 21 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sheng as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3332
2010
Births in 2010
5
Latest year
Peak year
2009
7 births
Estimated living
21
2026
Meaning
What does Sheng mean?
The name Sheng originates from the Chinese language and has its roots in ancient Chinese culture and history. It is a single-character name written as 盛 in traditional Chinese characters.
The character 盛 has a literal meaning of "prosperous," "flourishing," or "abundant." It is often associated with ideas of prosperity, success, and abundance in Chinese culture. The name Sheng can be traced back to ancient Chinese texts and records from as early as the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC).
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Sheng can be found in the Chinese classic text, the Analects of Confucius, which mentions a person named Sheng Zan. Sheng Zan was a disciple of Confucius and lived during the 5th century BC.
Throughout Chinese history, several notable figures have borne the name Sheng. One of the most famous was Sheng Xuanhuai (598–649 AD), a prominent Chinese painter and calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty. His works were highly influential and helped shape the development of Chinese art.
Another notable figure was Sheng Yue (1042–1107 AD), a prominent Neo-Confucian philosopher and scholar of the Song Dynasty. He made significant contributions to the development of Neo-Confucian thought and was known for his works on ethics and moral philosophy.
In more recent times, Sheng Xuanhuai (1844–1916) was a Chinese statesman and diplomat who served as the Qing Dynasty's ambassador to several European countries, including Russia and France. He played a crucial role in modernizing China's diplomatic relations with the West.
Sheng Chengji (1874–1922) was a renowned Chinese entrepreneur and industrialist who founded the Dasheng Cotton Mill, one of the largest textile companies in modern Chinese history. He was instrumental in the development of China's modern industry and commerce.
These are just a few examples of notable historical figures who have borne the name Sheng, showcasing its deep roots and significance in Chinese culture and history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sheng over time
The chart below shows babies named Sheng registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2010. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sheng, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2010, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sheng by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sheng 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #3332 | 5 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3840 | 16 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Sheng
- 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
Sheng: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sheng in the UK right now?
In 2010, Sheng was ranked #3332 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Sheng most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 7 babies registered as Sheng in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sheng?
A Chinese name meaning victory, prosperity, or flourishing.
How many people are called Sheng in the UK?
A total of 21 babies have been registered as Sheng across the 5 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.