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Home › Baby Names Directory › Sheppard

Sheppard

♂ Boy

Pronounced SHEP-ərd /ˈʃɛp.ərd/High

Meaning: Occupational surname for a shepherd — Old English sceaphierde, 'sheep herder' — in its double-p spellingHigh

In 30 seconds: The flock-keeper with surname formality: Sheppard spells the shepherd the way court dockets and astronaut rosters do. Psalm 23 energy, double-p tailoring.
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Origin HighEnglish
MeaningOccupational surname for a shepherd — Old English sceaphierde, 'sheep herder' — in its double-p spelling
U.S. rank (2025)#3081 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births40 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)≈ 716

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202518802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Sheppard is the double-p form of the occupational surname for a shepherd — Old English sceaphierde — from the centuries when wool built England. The spelling rides with Australian rock band Sheppard, TV's Dr. Derek Shepherd-adjacent fame, and a long line of jurists and pilots.

As a first name it joins the pastoral-surname lane beside Shepherd itself (which celebrity use has warmed). Shep — friendliest nickname in the kennel — comes standard. It remains rare.

Did you know? Alan Shepard — single p — was the first American in space; the surname's spellings have been orbiting English records since sheep paid the kingdom's bills.
Overall data confidence 90%
Dictionary of American Family Names — Shepherd/Sheppard — occupational origin

Variations

ShepherdShepardShep

Nicknames

Shep

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Sheppard…

Shepherd— the word-spelling sibling of the same flock
Shepard— the astronaut spelling in the same family
Walker— a fellow working-man surname pick
Ranger— another outdoors-occupation name of the era

Explore names like Sheppard

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Sheppard mean?

Sheppard is an occupational surname meaning 'shepherd', from Old English for sheep herder.

How do you pronounce Sheppard?

It's said SHEP-ərd /ˈʃɛp.ərd/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Sheppard a boy or girl name?

Sheppard is a boy's name.

How popular is Sheppard?

Sheppard is a rare first name in the U.S.

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