NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Sheriden

A feminine name meaning "seeker of heart's desire" from the Old English language.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 1998. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Sheriden is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sheriden popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 1998 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3848, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 1996 to 1998. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Sheriden. 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 1999 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Sheriden ranked #3848 for girls in England and Wales in 1998, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1996, when 3 girls were registered as Sheriden.
  • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sheriden as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3848

1998

Births in 1998

3

Latest year

Peak year

1996

3 births

Estimated living

6

2026

Meaning

What does Sheriden mean?

The name Sheriden is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Síoraídhin or Síoraidhin. It is believed to have originated in the 16th or 17th century, during the time when many Irish names were adapted to English spellings and pronunciations.

The name Síoraídhin is derived from the Irish words "síor" meaning "eternal" or "everlasting" and "aídhin" meaning "fire" or "blaze". This suggests that the name may have been associated with the concept of an eternal flame or a long-lasting fire, possibly with symbolic or religious connotations.

The earliest known recorded use of the name Sheriden dates back to the late 16th century in Ireland. One of the earliest notable individuals with this name was Richard Brinsley Sheridan, an Irish satirist, playwright, and politician who lived from 1751 to 1816. He is best known for his plays such as "The Rivals" and "The School for Scandal".

Another famous Sheriden was Philip Henry Sheridan, an American army officer who played a significant role in the American Civil War. He was born in 1831 and served as a Union general, earning the nickname "Little Phil" for his relatively short stature and his aggressive military tactics.

In the literary world, Frances Sheridan, an Irish novelist and playwright, was born in 1724 and is known for her works such as "Memoirs of Miss Sidney Bidulph" and "The Discovery".

John Sheridan, an Irish actor and theatre manager, was born in 1659 and is remembered for his contributions to the Restoration theatre in London, where he worked with prominent playwrights of the time.

Additionally, Sheriden Le Fanu, an Irish writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels, was born in 1814 and is best known for his works such as "Uncle Silas" and "Carmilla".

While the name Sheriden may have had religious or symbolic origins, it has been widely adopted and used across various cultures and regions over the centuries, with notable individuals bearing this name in fields such as literature, politics, and the military.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Sheriden over time

The chart below shows babies named Sheriden registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 1998. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Sheriden, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 1998, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Sheriden
01223199619971998

Decades

Sheriden by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sheriden 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
1990s #3822 6 2

Related

Names similar to Sheriden

FAQ

Sheriden: questions and answers

How popular is the name Sheriden in the UK right now?

In 1998, Sheriden was ranked #3848 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Sheriden most popular?

The peak year on record was 1996, with 3 babies registered as Sheriden in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Sheriden?

A feminine name meaning "seeker of heart's desire" from the Old English language.

How many people are called Sheriden in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Sheriden 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.