Shepard
Boy name · #891 in 2025 · Uniqueness 58/100
In 2025, 268 baby boys were named Shepard, placing it at #891 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1453, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,716 boys born in 2025 was named Shepard.
The 113-year story
Shepard first appears in the Social Security records in 1912, when 9 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 268 babies and a rank of #891. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Shepard per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Shepard against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Shepard in class?
Shepard scores 58 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Shepard is most common
Geography matters for names, and Shepard is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Shepards were TX (28), AL (16), OK (15), CA (14), FL (14). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Shepard
Statistically, parents drawn to Shepard tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sheppard, Stellan, Oakland, Shivansh, and Santana.
SheppardStellanOaklandShivanshSantanaShauryaSyncereSultan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Shepard | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 268 | #891 |
| 2024 | 244 | #942 |
| 2023 | 238 | #949 |
| 2022 | 253 | #913 |
| 2021 | 233 | #963 |
| 2020 | 243 | #920 |
| 2019 | 202 | #1028 |
| 2018 | 215 | #964 |
| 2017 | 228 | #925 |
| 2016 | 190 | #1043 |
| 2015 | 116 | #1453 |
| 2014 | 80 | #1844 |
| 2013 | 59 | #2205 |
| 2012 | 65 | #2091 |
| 2011 | 57 | #2261 |
| 2010 | 64 | #2100 |
| 2009 | 67 | #2050 |
| 2008 | 60 | #2207 |
| 2007 | 31 | #3444 |
| 2006 | 44 | #2659 |
| 2005 | 31 | #3241 |
| 2004 | 20 | #4264 |
| 2003 | 37 | #2674 |
| 2002 | 15 | #4919 |
| 2001 | 15 | #4890 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Shepard a popular boy name?
Shepard ranked #891 among boys in 2025 with 268 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1453.
When was the name Shepard most popular?
Shepard peaked in 2025, when 268 American boys received the name (ranked #891 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Shepard?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,716 newborn American boys was named Shepard. It scores 58/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.