Sharmila
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "giver of happiness or joy".
Name Census estimates that about 165 living Americans carry the first name Sharmila. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Sharmila today is around 47 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sharmila births was 1977 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sharmila. 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
165
~ 1 in 2,077,299 Americans
Peak year
1977
20 babies that year
Average age
47
years old
1998 SSA rank
#16,187
Tracked since 1967
Popularity
Sharmila: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sharmila from the 1960s through to the 1990s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 109 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sharmila 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 Sharmila during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Sharmilas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Sharmila
The name Sharmila has its origins in the Sanskrit language of ancient India. It is a compound word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "shram" meaning hard work or labor, and "ila" meaning the Earth or world. Together, Sharmila can be interpreted to mean "one who works hard on Earth" or "one who toils in this world".
This name has been in use in the Indian subcontinent for centuries, with records of its existence dating back to medieval times. It was a popular name among Hindus, and can be found mentioned in various ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, often associated with hardworking and diligent individuals.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sharmila can be found in the 12th century Sanskrit text, the Kathasaritsagara, which is a collection of stories and fables. In this text, a character named Sharmila is described as a dedicated and virtuous woman.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the name Sharmila. In the 16th century, Sharmila Bai was a renowned poet and courtesan in the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Her poetry and literary works were celebrated during her lifetime and continue to be studied and admired to this day.
Another famous Sharmila was Sharmila Rege, an Indian social activist and scholar who lived from 1963 to 2013. She was a prominent figure in the women's rights movement in India and worked tirelessly to promote gender equality and social justice.
Sharmila Tagore, born in 1946, is a celebrated Indian actress who has appeared in numerous Bollywood films and has also worked as a director and producer. She was the first Indian actress to be awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honors, in recognition of her contributions to the arts.
In the field of literature, Sharmila Seyyid is a notable Indian author and poet. Born in 1976, she has written several critically acclaimed works that explore themes of identity, culture, and social issues. Her poetry has been widely published and has received numerous accolades.
Sharmila Nair, born in 1987, is an Indian classical dancer and choreographer who has made significant contributions to the art of Bharatanatyam, one of the oldest classical dance forms in India. She has performed extensively both nationally and internationally, and has been recognized for her talent and dedication to preserving and promoting this traditional art form.
People
Sharmila + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sharmila 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
Sharmila: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sharmila?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 165 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sharmila 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 2,077,299 US residents.
Is Sharmila a common name?
We classify Sharmila as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 180 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sharmila most popular?
The single biggest year for Sharmila was 1977, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sharmila is about 47 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Sharmila a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sharmila in the SSA data are female. 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.