UK girl's name
Sheryl
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from the flower name "cherry".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2014. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sheryl is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sheryl popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2014 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5691, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 12 births.
This profile covers 85 England and Wales registrations across 17 recorded years from 1996 to 2014. 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 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 431 living people in the UK are called Sheryl. 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 2015 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sheryl ranked #5691 for girls in England and Wales in 2014, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 12 girls were registered as Sheryl.
- • Sheryl ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #765 in 2020.
- • About 431 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sheryl as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5691
2014
Births in 2014
3
Latest year
Peak year
1997
12 births
Estimated living
431
2026
Meaning
What does Sheryl mean?
The name Sheryl is an anglicized form of the French name Chérie, which means "darling" or "beloved". This name has its roots in the Old French word "chiere", derived from the Latin word "carus", meaning "dear" or "valuable". The name first gained popularity in the English-speaking world in the early 20th century.
Historically, the name Sheryl does not have any significant religious or cultural references. It is primarily a modern name that gained widespread usage in the 20th century. However, some believe that the name may have been inspired by the Hebrew name "Sheril", which means "song of God".
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Sheryl dates back to the early 1900s. One notable individual with this name was Sheryl Crow, an American singer-songwriter and musician born in 1962. She rose to fame in the 1990s with hit songs like "All I Wanna Do" and "If It Makes You Happy".
Another famous Sheryl is Sheryl Sandberg, an American business executive and author born in 1969. She served as the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook from 2008 to 2022 and is widely recognized for her advocacy of women's leadership and empowerment in the workplace.
In the literary world, Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American author and playwright born in 1958. She is best known for her works exploring themes of family, relationships, and identity.
Sheryl Lee Ralph, born in 1956, is an American actress and singer who has had a successful career spanning several decades. She is best known for her roles in the Broadway musical "Dreamgirls" and the sitcom "Moesha".
Sheryl Underwood, born in 1963, is an American comedian, actress, and television host. She is a co-host of the popular daytime talk show "The Talk" and has appeared in various television shows and films throughout her career.
While the name Sheryl has gained widespread popularity in recent times, its origins can be traced back to the French language and the concept of endearment and affection. Despite its modern usage, the name has a rich history and has been borne by notable individuals across various fields.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sheryl over time
The chart below shows babies named Sheryl registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2014. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sheryl, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2014, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sheryl by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sheryl 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 | #5297 | 14 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3683 | 41 | 9 |
| 1990s | #2366 | 30 | 4 |
Geography
Where Sheryl is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Sheryl. 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.
Sheryl ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #765 in 2020.
Across the UK
Sheryl in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#765 in 2020
30 years of NRS records, 352 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Sheryl
-
Sheryl Gallagher
association football player
1991-
Related
Names similar to Sheryl
- 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
Sheryl: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sheryl in the UK right now?
In 2014, Sheryl was ranked #5691 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Sheryl most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 12 babies registered as Sheryl in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sheryl?
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from the flower name "cherry".
How many people are called Sheryl in the UK?
A total of 85 babies have been registered as Sheryl across the 17 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 352 more in Scotland.
Where is Sheryl most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Sheryl ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #765 in 2020. 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.