Sharry
A feminine name of English origin meaning "bright" or "shining one".
Name Census estimates that about 667 living Americans carry the first name Sharry. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Sharry today is around 65 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sharry births was 1949 (39 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sharry. 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
667
~ 1 in 513,875 Americans
Peak year
1949
39 babies that year
Average age
65
years old
1992 SSA rank
#13,088
Tracked since 1937
Popularity
Sharry: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sharry from the 1930s through to the 1990s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 264 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sharry 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 Sharry during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Sharrys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Michigan, California, New York recorded the most babies named Sharry, while New York, California, Michigan recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 11 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Sharry
The name Sharry is a variant spelling of the English name Sherry, derived from the Old French term "cher" or "chiere," meaning "dear" or "beloved." Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, around the 12th century.
The name Sherry was initially used as a term of endearment or a pet name before becoming a given name in its own right. It gained popularity in England during the Middle Ages, particularly among the upper classes.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Sherry can be found in the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, written in the late 14th century. In this literary work, Chaucer refers to a character named Sherry, suggesting the name's usage during that time period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Sharry or its variant spellings. One such figure was Sherry Lansing, an American film producer and former CEO of Paramount Pictures, born in 1944. She was a pioneering woman in the movie industry and played a significant role in the success of various Hollywood productions.
Another famous bearer of the name was Sherry Stringfield, an American actress born in 1967, best known for her roles in the television series ER and NYPD Blue. Her portrayal of Dr. Susan Lewis in ER earned her widespread recognition and critical acclaim.
In the literary world, Sherry Jones is an American novelist and journalist born in 1957. Her historical novels, including "The Jewel of Medina" and "The Sharp Hook of Love," have garnered attention for their exploration of Islamic themes and women's perspectives.
Sherry Turkle, born in 1948, is a renowned psychologist and sociologist who has made significant contributions to the study of human-computer interaction and the impact of technology on society. Her work has explored the intersection of technology and human psychology, shedding light on the complexities of our relationship with digital devices.
Lastly, Sherry Stringfield, an American singer and songwriter born in 1960, gained popularity in the country music scene with her hit singles "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" and "Beneath a Painted Sky." Her music often drew inspiration from her Appalachian roots and explored themes of love, loss, and resilience.
While the name Sharry may not have a rich historical or cultural significance beyond its roots in the Old French language, it has been borne by notable individuals across various fields, from entertainment to literature and academia.
People
Sharry + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sharry 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
Sharry: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sharry?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 667 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sharry 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 513,875 US residents.
Is Sharry a common name?
We classify Sharry as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 953 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sharry most popular?
The single biggest year for Sharry was 1949, when 39 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sharry is about 65 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Sharry a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sharry 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.