Sharief
An Arabic masculine name meaning "noble" or "respected".
Name Census estimates that about 181 living Americans carry the first name Sharief. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Sharief today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sharief births was 1997 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sharief. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
181
~ 1 in 1,893,670 Americans
Peak year
1997
14 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2008 SSA rank
#14,282
Tracked since 1970
Popularity
Sharief: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sharief from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 90 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sharief by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Sharief during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shariefs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Sharief
The name Sharief has its origins in the Arabic language, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Arabic word "sharif," which translates to "noble" or "illustrious." This term was initially used to refer to individuals who claimed direct descent from the Prophet Muhammad or were members of influential Arab tribes.
The name Sharief gained prominence in the early Islamic era, particularly during the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates. It was often bestowed upon individuals of high social status, such as members of royal families or religious scholars. The name's association with nobility and respect made it a sought-after moniker among the Muslim community.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Sharief can be found in the writings of renowned Arab historians, such as Al-Tabari and Ibn Khaldun. These scholars documented the lives of prominent individuals bearing this name, including Sharief Al-Radi, a renowned poet and scholar who lived in the 10th century CE.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Sharief. One of the most famous was Sharief Ali Khan (1823-1887), a prominent Muslim ruler of the princely state of Tonk in British India. He was known for his efforts in promoting education and modernization within his territory.
Another notable Sharief was Sharief Hussein bin Ali (1854-1931), a prominent Arab leader who played a significant role in the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. He later became the King of Hejaz, a region encompassing the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
In the realm of literature, Sharief Husain (1908-1949) was a renowned Urdu poet and writer from British India. His works, such as "Chiragh-e-Mohabbat" and "Nuqush," explored themes of love, spirituality, and social commentary.
The name Sharief also found its way into the realm of sports. Sharief Abdul Rahim (1919-1993) was a legendary Pakistani cricketer who captained the national team in the 1950s and is considered one of the finest batsmen the country has produced.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have borne the name Sharief throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural heritage associated with this noble moniker.
People
Sharief + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sharief as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Sharief: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sharief?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 181 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sharief going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,893,670 US residents.
Is Sharief a common name?
We classify Sharief as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 187 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sharief most popular?
The single biggest year for Sharief was 1997, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sharief is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Sharief a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sharief in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.