Sterling
Girl name · #1099 in 2025 · Uniqueness 39/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sterling against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sterling in class?
Sterling scores 39 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 Sterling is most common
Geography matters for names, and Sterling is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Sterlings were TX (31), OK (17), CO (11), OH (11), TN (11). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 39/100 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.