Sherrell
A feminine name of English origin referring to a dweller near a bright stream.
Name Census estimates that about 2,495 living Americans carry the first name Sherrell. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 86.4% of registrations being female. The average person named Sherrell today is around 52 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sherrell births was 1989 (86 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sherrell. 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
2.5K
~ 1 in 137,376 Americans
Peak year
1989
86 babies that year
Average age
52
years old
1983 SSA rank
#7,178
Tracked since 1914
Gender
Gender distribution for Sherrell
Sherrell leans heavily female at 86.4% of total registrations, but 439 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Sherrell as a male name
- Ranked #7,178 in 1983
- 5 male births in 1983
- Peak: 1947 (20 births)
Sherrell as a female name
- Ranked #13,893 in 2017
- 7 female births in 2017
- Peak: 1989 (86 births)
Popularity
Sherrell: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sherrell from the 1910s through to the 2010s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 671 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
Sherrell 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 Sherrell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Sherrells live
The SSA's state-level files cover 18 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Sherrell, while Tennessee, District of Columbia, Ohio recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 37 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Sherrell
The given name Sherrell is a relatively uncommon and intriguing one, with its origins shrouded in mystery and speculation. Some scholars trace its roots to the Old English word "scir," which means "bright" or "shining." Others believe it to be a portmanteau of the names "Sheridan" and "Terrell," both of which have Irish and English origins.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sherrell can be found in the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, England, dating back to the late 16th century. Here, a Sherrell Browne was christened in 1587, suggesting that the name had already gained a foothold in the region by that time.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the name Sherrell. One of the most prominent was Sherrell Biggers (1886-1954), an American civil rights activist and lawyer who played a pivotal role in the desegregation of public schools in Washington, D.C. Another figure of historical significance was Sherrell Lanier (1901-1993), an American artist and sculptor who gained acclaim for her works depicting Native American themes.
In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the contribution of Sherrell Culver (1922-2008), an American author and playwright whose works explored themes of identity, family, and community. Her play "The Sutter's Wife" was a critically acclaimed production that garnered widespread recognition.
Moving into the realm of sports, Sherrell Miller (1961-2016) was a talented American basketball player who enjoyed a successful career in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), playing for teams such as the Detroit Shock and the Houston Comets.
Finally, it would be remiss not to mention Sherrell Dillon (1967-present), a renowned American fashion designer and entrepreneur whose eponymous clothing line has gained a loyal following for its classic yet contemporary aesthetic.
While the name Sherrell may not be as widely recognized as some other names, it carries a rich tapestry of history and cultural significance. From civil rights activists to artists, authors, and athletes, individuals bearing this name have left an indelible mark on various facets of society, making it a moniker worthy of recognition and appreciation.
People
Sherrell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sherrell 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
Sherrell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sherrell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,495 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sherrell 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 137,376 US residents.
Is Sherrell a common name?
We classify Sherrell as "Rare". It ranks above 94.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 3,221 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sherrell most popular?
The single biggest year for Sherrell was 1989, when 86 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sherrell is about 52 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Sherrell a female name?
Yes, 86.4% of people registered as Sherrell 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.