Find out how popular the first name Sheng has been for the last 37 years (from 1980 to 2016) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Sheng by gender

Based on the last 37 years of data, Sheng is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 96% of people named Sheng being female.

For the most recent data in 2016, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Sheng.

It's also interesting to see that despite Sheng being historically a mostly female name, the most recent data from 2016 shows a shift in the trend, with more male babies being named Sheng.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 5 baby boys were named Sheng in 2016, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Sheng

The name Sheng originates from the Chinese language and has its roots in ancient Chinese culture and history. It is a single-character name written as 盛 in traditional Chinese characters.

The character 盛 has a literal meaning of "prosperous," "flourishing," or "abundant." It is often associated with ideas of prosperity, success, and abundance in Chinese culture. The name Sheng can be traced back to ancient Chinese texts and records from as early as the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC).

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Sheng can be found in the Chinese classic text, the Analects of Confucius, which mentions a person named Sheng Zan. Sheng Zan was a disciple of Confucius and lived during the 5th century BC.

Throughout Chinese history, several notable figures have borne the name Sheng. One of the most famous was Sheng Xuanhuai (598–649 AD), a prominent Chinese painter and calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty. His works were highly influential and helped shape the development of Chinese art.

Another notable figure was Sheng Yue (1042–1107 AD), a prominent Neo-Confucian philosopher and scholar of the Song Dynasty. He made significant contributions to the development of Neo-Confucian thought and was known for his works on ethics and moral philosophy.

In more recent times, Sheng Xuanhuai (1844–1916) was a Chinese statesman and diplomat who served as the Qing Dynasty's ambassador to several European countries, including Russia and France. He played a crucial role in modernizing China's diplomatic relations with the West.

Sheng Chengji (1874–1922) was a renowned Chinese entrepreneur and industrialist who founded the Dasheng Cotton Mill, one of the largest textile companies in modern Chinese history. He was instrumental in the development of China's modern industry and commerce.

These are just a few examples of notable historical figures who have borne the name Sheng, showcasing its deep roots and significance in Chinese culture and history.

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 Sheng was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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