Sterling
Girl name · #1099 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Sterling? In official American birth records, Sterling has been tracked continuously since 1913, giving it 112 years of documented American history.
Sterling ranks #1099 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 218 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2209, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 8,257 girls born in 2025 was named Sterling.
The 112-year story
Sterling first appears in the Social Security records in 1913, when 6 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 219 babies and a rank of #1114. 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 Sterling per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sterling against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sterling in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Sterling is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Sterling will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Sterling is most common
Geography matters for names, and Sterling is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Sterling is most common in OK (1.2 per 1,000), CO (0.5 per 1,000), TN (0.3 per 1,000), OH (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Sterling is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Sterling
Statistically, parents drawn to Sterling tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Blessing, Darling, Sapphire, Serafina, and Salome.
BlessingDarlingSapphireSerafinaSalomeSymphonySafiyaSunnie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sterling | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 218 | #1098 |
| 2024 | 219 | #1114 |
| 2023 | 180 | #1273 |
| 2022 | 171 | #1362 |
| 2021 | 182 | #1273 |
| 2020 | 122 | #1678 |
| 2019 | 115 | #1773 |
| 2018 | 126 | #1663 |
| 2017 | 127 | #1686 |
| 2016 | 133 | #1636 |
| 2015 | 85 | #2209 |
| 2014 | 97 | #2027 |
| 2013 | 70 | #2533 |
| 2012 | 65 | #2708 |
| 2011 | 64 | #2725 |
| 2010 | 52 | #3159 |
| 2009 | 47 | #3460 |
| 2008 | 45 | #3584 |
| 2007 | 41 | #3848 |
| 2006 | 55 | #3054 |
| 2005 | 39 | #3730 |
| 2004 | 63 | #2620 |
| 2003 | 54 | #2840 |
| 2002 | 77 | #2158 |
| 2001 | 55 | #2700 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Sterling?
In official American birth records, the name Sterling first appeared in 1913 (over 112 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 112 years.
Is Sterling a popular girl name?
Sterling ranked #1099 among girls in 2025 with 218 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2209.
When was the name Sterling most popular?
Sterling peaked in 2024, when 219 American girls received the name (ranked #1114 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Sterling?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 8,257 newborn American girls was named Sterling. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.