UK boy's name
Sherlock
A masculine given name meaning "bright-haired" or "fair-haired".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sherlock is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Sherlock popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3373, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 5 births.
This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2012 to 2015. 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 10 living people in the UK are called Sherlock. 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 2016 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sherlock ranked #3373 for boys in England and Wales in 2015, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 5 boys were registered as Sherlock.
- • About 10 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sherlock as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3373
2015
Births in 2015
5
Latest year
Peak year
2012
5 births
Estimated living
10
2026
Meaning
What does Sherlock mean?
The name Sherlock is an English given name derived from the Old English words "scir" meaning "bright" and "locc" meaning "lock of hair". It was originally used as a descriptive surname, referring to someone with bright or fair hair.
The earliest recorded use of Sherlock as a surname dates back to the 13th century in England. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sherlock de Littlebyry, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1293.
The name Sherlock gained widespread recognition in the 19th century due to the famous fictional character Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930). The character's name likely contributed to the popularity of Sherlock as a given name.
Notable people named Sherlock throughout history include:
1. Sherlock Swinnerton (1535-1616), an English clergyman and author. 2. Sherlock Bronson (1804-1838), an American missionary and translator. 3. Sherlock James Anstruther (1808-1904), a British politician and landowner. 4. Sherlock Hickox (1809-1888), an American politician and lawyer. 5. Sherlock Brebner (1871-1951), a Scottish footballer and manager.
While the name Sherlock is not as common today as it was in the past, it remains a unique and intriguing option for parents looking for a name with a rich historical background and literary connections.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sherlock over time
The chart below shows babies named Sherlock registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2012 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sherlock, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2015, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sherlock by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sherlock 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 | #3395 | 10 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Sherlock
- 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
Sherlock: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sherlock in the UK right now?
In 2015, Sherlock was ranked #3373 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Sherlock most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 5 babies registered as Sherlock in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sherlock?
A masculine given name meaning "bright-haired" or "fair-haired".
How many people are called Sherlock in the UK?
A total of 10 babies have been registered as Sherlock 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.