Shariff first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Shariff has been for the last 42 years (from 1974 to 2015) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Shariff

A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "noble" or "noble one".

Popularity of Shariff by gender

Based on the last 42 years of data, Shariff is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2015, there were 7 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Shariff.

Year Male Count Female Count
2015 7 0
2013 5 0
2012 5 0
2010 7 0
2009 6 0
2008 8 0
2007 11 0
2006 5 0
2005 6 0
2004 6 0
2002 7 0
2001 11 0
2000 11 0
1999 8 0
1998 20 0
1997 12 0
1996 9 0
1995 18 0
1994 17 0
1993 17 0
1992 10 0
1991 20 0
1990 18 0
1989 24 0
1988 23 0
1987 14 0
1986 14 0
1985 11 0
1984 18 0
1983 30 0
1982 18 0
1981 16 0
1980 15 0
1979 21 0
1978 25 0
1977 20 0
1976 18 0
1975 13 0
1974 11 0

The history of the first name Shariff

The name Shariff is believed to have its origins in Arabic, deriving from the word "sharif" which means "noble" or "distinguished." It has been in use since ancient times in various parts of the Middle East and North Africa.

The earliest recorded use of the name Shariff can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. It was often used as a honorific title for those who claimed direct descent from the Prophet Muhammad, through his daughter Fatima and her husband Ali.

One of the earliest and most notable figures to bear the name Shariff was Sharif Ibn al-Husayn (1854-1924), who was the Emir of Mecca and the leader of the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. His efforts played a crucial role in the establishment of modern-day Saudi Arabia.

In the Indian subcontinent, the name Shariff gained popularity among Muslim communities, particularly in regions with a strong Sufi tradition. One of the most famous Sufis to bear the name was Shariff Baba (1615-1689), a revered Sufi saint from present-day Maharashtra, India, who is credited with spreading the teachings of Islam in the region.

Another prominent figure in history with the name Shariff was Shariff Hussein bin Ali (1895-1966), who served as the King of the Hejaz region in present-day Saudi Arabia from 1916 to 1924. He was a key ally of the British during World War I and played a significant role in the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire.

In more recent times, the name Shariff has been borne by several notable individuals, including Shariff Aguak (1938-2020), a Filipino politician and lawyer who served as a Senator in the Philippine Senate from 1987 to 1992, and Shariff Kabunsuan (1947-2018), a Filipino author and journalist who was known for his works on the Moro people of the southern Philippines.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Shariff was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Shariff, please contact us.

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"Shariff first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 2, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/shariff-meaning-and-history/.

"Shariff first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/shariff-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 2 July, 2025

Shariff first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/shariff-meaning-and-history/.

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