Given name & surname
Sheldon
“from the steep valley”
Sheldon is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “from the steep valley.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “from the steep valley.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Sheldon through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 37,172
- 36,676 boys · 496 girls
- Most popular year
- 1992
- 624 babies
- 2025
- 46
- #2,788 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −44%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 46 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,788 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 43.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 608 in 1992. In 2025, Florida had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 25,589 as a first name in 2020; 18,325 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Sheldon’s family of names
In English usage, Sheldon has a diminutive in Shelley. Sheldon has a related form in Shelden. In English usage, Sheldon has a diminutive in Shel.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Shelleydiminutive · English
- Sheldynvariant
- Sheldanvariant
- Sheldenvariant
- Shelldonlikely variant
- Sheldonnlikely variant
- Sheldiminutive · English
- Sheldinvariant
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Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Sheldon
- Sheldon GlashowAmerican theoretical physicistborn 1932
- Shel SilversteinAmerican poet, cartoonist, songwriter, and children's writer (1930–1999)
- Sheldon AdelsonAmerican businessman (1933–2021)
- Sheldon WhitehouseAmerican lawyer and politician (born 1955)
- Sheldon RileyAustralian singer (1999-)
- Sheldon LeonardAmerican actor, producer, director, and writer (1907–1997)
- Shelly ManneAmerican jazz drummer (1920–1984)
- Sheldon LewisAmerican actor (1868–1958)
- Sheldon BrownAmerican cyclist, writer and mechanic (1944–2008)
Characters named Sheldon: Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon), Beiste (the television series Glee).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Sheldon, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Shelton
“from the farm on the ledge”
>99% boys
Sherrick
“one who has already left”
97% boys · 3% girls
Devon
“from the beautiful farmland; of the divine”
86% boys · 14% girls
Quinton
“from the queen's town or settlement”
>99% boys
Brandon
“from the broom or gorse hill”
>99% boys
Garrison
“from the spear-fortified town”
>99% boys
Nigel
“the champion”
>99% boys
Clinton
“from the town on the hill”
>99% boys