Sterling
2025 SSA
2025 SSA
About Sterling
A name with some sterling qualities, most associated with the British currency and silver markets, though it could easily be seen as a virtue-adjacent choice, like Merit, Chosen, or Hero. It has been a rising star in the US in recent years, appearing in the Top 400 in the latest count, when it was given to 880 boys.
Sterling for boys#346 US
Sterling has several recent TV associations, with characters Roger Sterling (on Mad Men) and Sterling Archer (on Archer), along with actor Sterling K. Brown (on This is Us). In literature, there's also January Sterling from The Mars House by Natasha Pulley.
While it is used four times more often for boys, it has been catching parent's attention for girls too. It is currently split 20:80.
Sterling for girls#1100 US
A name with some sterling qualities, most associated with the British currency and silver markets, though it could easily be read as virtuous, celebratory choice, like Merritt or Goldie.
Sterling is more commonly a male name or surname, but it has been chosen for an increasing number of girls in recent years. The latest count saw it given to 218 American girls, along with 880 boys, meaning it is currently split 20:80.
Pronounced STER-ling.
As of October 2026, Sterling ranked #346 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #308 in 1895, Nameberry popularity #193.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #507 | 552 | #2,033 | 97 |
| 2015 | #493 | 595 | #2,231 | 85 |
| 2016 | #458 | 671 | #1,642 | 133 |
| 2017 | #436 | 712 | #1,695 | 127 |
| 2018 | #409 | 783 | #1,669 | 126 |
| 2019 | #410 | 753 | #1,785 | 115 |
| 2020 | #400 | 767 | #1,685 | 122 |
| 2021 | #382 | 844 | #1,274 | 182 |
| 2022 | #398 | 802 | #1,364 | 171 |
| 2023 | #403 | 792 | #1,274 | 180 |
| 2024 | #372 | 880 | #1,117 | 218 |
| 2025 | #346 | 944 | #1,100 | 218 |
World rankings
Sterling for boys
Sterling for girls
Similar names
These 40 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Sterling.
Similar boy names
Similar girl names
Sterling on lists
Famous Sterlings
- Sterling Price HollowayBoy
American character actor
- (Thomas) Sterling NorthBoy
American children's novelist
- (Julius) Sterling MortonBoy
American secretary of agriculture; founder of Arbor Day
- Sterling PriceBoy
American politician; 11th Governor of Missouri
- Sterling Walter Hayden (born Sterling Relyea Walter)Boy
American actor
- Sterling Kelby BrownBoy
American actor
- Sterling Sandmann KnightBoy
American actor
- Sterling SharpeBoy
American NFL player
- Sterling Martin BeaumonBoy
American actor
- Sterling Clay ShepardBoy
American NFL player
- Sterling MarlinBoy
American NASCAR driver
- Hayden Sterling ChristensenBoy
Canadian actor
- Sterling TuckerBoy
American civil and political rights activist and politician
- Sterling Diane FalconettiGirl
daughter of former Olympic gymast Shannon Miller
- Sterling JerinsGirl
American actress
- Sterling HyltinGirl
American ballerina
- Mindy Lee SterlingGirl
American actress
Sterling in pop culture
- Sterling Malory ArcherBoy
character from FX show "Archer."
- Sterling McCormackBoy
character from Australian TV series "All Saints".
- Roger SterlingBoy
of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce on the 1960s set show Mad Men.
- Pound sterlingBoy
the currency of the UK.
- SterlingBoy
character in the stories of Kit Kittredge, American Girl Doll
- SterlingBoy
character on the CW show "The 100"
- SterlingBoy
character in DC Universe
- Sterling is a teenaged girl's character name on the TV series "The Killing." Fairly common name for a boy in the American Southeast (GeorgiaGirl
Alabama, Carolinas)
Variations & nicknames
- StirlingBoy