UK boy's name
Sher
A masculine name of Persian origin meaning "lion".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sher is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Sher popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3688, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 7 births.
This profile covers 86 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 88 living people in the UK are called Sher. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sher ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 7 boys were registered as Sher.
- • Sher ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #425 in 1996.
- • About 88 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sher as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3688
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
2013
7 births
Estimated living
88
2026
Meaning
What does Sher mean?
The name Sher has its origins in the Persian and Sanskrit languages, dating back to ancient times. In Persian, the word "sher" means "lion," and it was often used as a term of respect and admiration for someone who exhibited bravery and strength.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Sher can be found in the Shahnameh, the epic poem written by the renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. The poem features several characters with the name Sher, including Sher Khan and Sher Ali, who were depicted as valiant warriors.
In Sanskrit, the word "shera" also means "lion," and it was commonly used in ancient Hindu texts and scriptures. One notable figure in Hindu mythology with this name is Sher Singh, a powerful king mentioned in the Puranas, who was known for his courage and leadership.
Throughout history, the name Sher has been borne by many influential individuals. One of the most famous was Sher Shah Suri (1486-1545), an Afghan ruler who established the Sur Empire in northern India and is renowned for his administrative reforms and architectural achievements, including the construction of the Grand Trunk Road.
Another notable figure was Sher Ali Khan (1825-1879), the Emir of Afghanistan from 1863 to 1879, who played a significant role in the Anglo-Afghan Wars and sought to maintain Afghanistan's independence from British colonial influence.
In the realm of literature, Sher Ali Muslih (1944-2005) was a renowned Afghan poet and writer, celebrated for his contributions to modern Pashto poetry and his efforts to promote Afghan culture and literature.
The name Sher also has connections to the Sikh faith, with Sher Singh Attariwalla (1807-1843) being a prominent Sikh military commander who fought against the British East India Company during the Anglo-Sikh Wars.
In more recent times, Sher Bahadur Deuba (born 1946) is a Nepalese politician who has served multiple terms as the Prime Minister of Nepal, most recently from 2017 to 2022.
While these are just a few examples, the name Sher has been carried by many notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its association with strength, bravery, and leadership across various cultures and regions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sher over time
The chart below shows babies named Sher registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sher, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sher by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sher 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3232 | 23 | 4 |
| 2010s | #3791 | 31 | 7 |
| 2000s | #3378 | 19 | 5 |
| 1990s | #2771 | 13 | 4 |
Geography
Where Sher is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Sher. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Sher ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #425 in 1996.
Across the UK
Sher in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#425 in 1996
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Sher
- 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
Sher: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sher in the UK right now?
In 2024, Sher was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Sher most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 7 babies registered as Sher in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sher?
A masculine name of Persian origin meaning "lion".
How many people are called Sher in the UK?
A total of 86 babies have been registered as Sher across the 20 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Sher most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Sher ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #425 in 1996. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.