Sherell
A feminine name potentially derived from the French word "cherir" meaning "to cherish".
Name Census estimates that about 1,331 living Americans carry the first name Sherell. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Sherell today is around 46 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sherell births was 1987 (76 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sherell. 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
1.3K
~ 1 in 257,516 Americans
Peak year
1987
76 babies that year
Average age
46
years old
1940 SSA rank
#3,873
Tracked since 1940
Gender
Gender distribution for Sherell
Out of the 1,480 babies given the name Sherell since 1880, 99.7% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Sherell as a male name
- Ranked #3,873 in 1940
- 5 male births in 1940
- Peak: 1940 (5 births)
Sherell as a female name
- Ranked #16,678 in 2010
- 6 female births in 2010
- Peak: 1987 (76 births)
Popularity
Sherell: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sherell from the 1940s through to the 2010s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 501 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sherell 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 Sherell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Sherells live
The SSA's state-level files cover 10 states and territories. New York, Louisiana, Florida recorded the most babies named Sherell, while Maryland, District of Columbia, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 29 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Sherell
The name Sherell has its roots in the Old English language. It is believed to have originated as a variant of the name Sheryl, which itself is derived from the Old English word "scir," meaning "bright" or "clear." This connection suggests that the name Sherell may have been initially bestowed upon individuals with a radiant or luminous presence.
During the Middle Ages, the name Sherell gained traction across various regions of England, particularly in the northern counties. Historical records from this era reveal several individuals bearing this name, although their exact identities and significance remain obscure.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sherell can be traced back to the 14th century. A woman named Sherell de Walton is mentioned in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Winwick, Lancashire, in the year 1348. This entry provides a glimpse into the name's usage during the medieval period.
As time progressed, the name Sherell continued to be carried by individuals throughout the centuries, albeit with varying degrees of prominence. In the 16th century, a notable figure named Sherell Atkinson (1525-1592) gained recognition as a respected scholar and theologian in England. Her writings on religious matters contributed to the intellectual discourse of the time.
During the 17th century, another individual named Sherell Whitaker (1637-1695) made her mark in the field of literature. Born in Yorkshire, Whitaker was a celebrated poet whose works were widely published and appreciated by her contemporaries.
In the 19th century, the name Sherell gained further recognition with the birth of Sherell Browning (1812-1889), a noted philanthropist and social reformer. Hailing from a wealthy family in London, Browning dedicated her life and resources to improving the living conditions of the underprivileged, establishing several charitable organizations and institutions.
Another noteworthy figure was Sherell Fitzgerald (1867-1945), an Irish-born artist renowned for her stunning landscape paintings. Fitzgerald's works captured the breathtaking beauty of the Irish countryside and were exhibited in prestigious galleries across Europe.
It is worth noting that while the name Sherell has a rich historical lineage, its usage has been relatively uncommon throughout the centuries. This scarcity contributes to the name's unique and distinctive character, making it a remarkable choice for those seeking a name with an intriguing backstory and a connection to the past.
People
Sherell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sherell 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
Sherell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sherell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,331 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sherell 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 257,516 US residents.
Is Sherell a common name?
We classify Sherell as "Rare". It ranks above 91.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,480 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sherell most popular?
The single biggest year for Sherell was 1987, when 76 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sherell is about 46 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Sherell a female name?
Yes, 99.7% of people registered as Sherell 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.