Shepherd

Shepherd - A very unique male name

Shepherd appeared on the charts for the first time in 2005 on position #4116. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Shepherd and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Shepherd? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Shepherd. The baby boy name Shepherd was given to 1,380 baby boys in 2025, ranking #247 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,063 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Shepherd peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 247.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Shepherd, 1-5?

Shepherd is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Shepherd is currently topping the baby name charts in Tennessee at position #92 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,278.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Shepherd is where you live.

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Shepherd origin and meaning

English occupational surname and word name

A shepherd — from Old English sceap, "sheep," and hierde, "herdsman"

Shepherd is the Bible-soaked occupation word — herdsman, and by extension the Good Shepherd — transferred from surname to first name only recently. It first appeared in the data in 2005 and has sprinted from #575 in 2020 to #247 in 2025, peaking in 2025.

Attested etymology

Shepherd is a 8 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Shepherd, pop culture references for the name Shepherd and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Shepherd

We've found the following names that sound similar to Shepherd, sorted by popularity.

Shepard / Sigifredo / Sigfredo / Sebert / Sheppard / Siegfried / Shuford / Saford /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Shepherd

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Shepherd a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Shepherd?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

SHEP-urd · /ˈʃɛpərd/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Shepard — A common spelling variant without the second h
• Sheppard — A surname spelling variant

Nicknames: Shep

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 2005, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

OccupationalSurnameWord name

Why parents choose it

Parents pick Shepherd for its pastoral warmth and quiet faith resonance — an occupational name that feels protective rather than rugged, with Shep as a friendly short form.

Worth knowing

• The Christian resonance is strong: for many the name is a direct reference to Jesus as the Good Shepherd, welcome in faith families and a consideration elsewhere.
• Shepard and Shepherd spellings collide constantly.