Shurman
A Hebrew name meaning "messenger" or "guardian angel".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Shurman. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Shurman today is around 84 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shurman births was 1944 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shurman. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Shurman is about 84 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Shurmans were born before 1952.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Shurman. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1944
6 babies that year
Average age
84
years old
1946 SSA rank
#3,480
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Shurman: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shurman from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 12 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shurman 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 Shurman during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Shurman
The name Shurman is believed to have its origins in the ancient Sanskrit language, tracing back to the Vedic period of Indian history around the 2nd millennium BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit root "shurma," which means "brave" or "valiant." This suggests that the name was initially bestowed upon individuals who displayed exceptional courage and strength in battle or faced adversity with fortitude.
In the ancient Hindu scriptures, particularly the Puranas, there are references to several characters bearing names similar to Shurman. One notable example is Shurmaka, a legendary king mentioned in the Matsya Purana, who ruled over a prosperous kingdom and was known for his just and righteous rule.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Shurman can be traced back to the 6th century CE in ancient India. One of the most notable historical figures with this name was Shurman Gupta, a philosopher and scholar who lived during the Gupta Empire. He is credited with writing several treatises on metaphysics and ethics, contributing significantly to the development of Indian philosophical thought.
Another prominent individual named Shurman was an 11th-century poet and writer from the Kashmir region. His poetic works, which explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality, were widely celebrated during his lifetime and continue to be studied and appreciated to this day.
In the 13th century, a renowned Sufi mystic named Shurman ud-Din Chishti lived in the Indian subcontinent. He was revered for his spiritual teachings and is believed to have played a crucial role in the spread of Sufism in the region.
During the Mughal era in the 16th century, Shurman Khan was a prominent military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He is remembered for his bravery and strategic acumen in various military campaigns, which helped solidify the Mughal Empire's control over northern India.
Another noteworthy figure bearing the name Shurman was an 18th-century Indian mathematician and astronomer. His contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomy were significant, and his works were studied and referenced by scholars across the Indian subcontinent.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the name Shurman throughout history, each leaving their mark in their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural and intellectual heritage.
People
Shurman + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shurman 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
Shurman: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shurman?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shurman 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Shurman a common name?
We classify Shurman as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 22 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shurman most popular?
The single biggest year for Shurman was 1944, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shurman is about 84 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Shurman in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shurman a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shurman in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Shurman still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shurman in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Shurman can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Shurman?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.