Sterling
Boy name · #346 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Sterling? In official American birth records, Sterling has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Sterling ranks #346 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 944 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #493, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,907 boys born in 2025 was named Sterling.
Babies named Sterling per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Sterling first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 17 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 944 babies and a rank of #345. 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.
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 "distinctive". 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. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Sterling is most common in SD (3.1 per 1,000), MT (2.7 per 1,000), NE (1.5 per 1,000), KY (1.3 per 1,000), ID (1.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 boys. 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 Santino, Sullivan, Raphael, Ezequiel, and Samson.
SantinoSullivanRaphaelEzequielSamsonSonnySolomonConrad
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sterling | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 944 | #345 |
| 2024 | 885 | #370 |
| 2023 | 792 | #403 |
| 2022 | 803 | #397 |
| 2021 | 844 | #382 |
| 2020 | 768 | #399 |
| 2019 | 753 | #410 |
| 2018 | 783 | #409 |
| 2017 | 713 | #433 |
| 2016 | 671 | #458 |
| 2015 | 595 | #493 |
| 2014 | 552 | #507 |
| 2013 | 441 | #582 |
| 2012 | 350 | #675 |
| 2011 | 307 | #737 |
| 2010 | 299 | #755 |
| 2009 | 231 | #898 |
| 2008 | 245 | #866 |
| 2007 | 269 | #800 |
| 2006 | 270 | #769 |
| 2005 | 272 | #742 |
| 2004 | 300 | #675 |
| 2003 | 325 | #631 |
| 2002 | 357 | #589 |
| 2001 | 395 | #545 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Sterling?
In official American birth records, the name Sterling first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 17 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Sterling a popular boy name?
Sterling ranked #346 among boys in 2025 with 944 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #493.
When was the name Sterling most popular?
Sterling peaked in 2025, when 944 American boys received the name (ranked #345 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 1,907 newborn American boys was named Sterling. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.