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Sherma

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Sherma

Pronounced SHER-mah /ˈʃɜr.mə/Medium

Meaning: Sherma most plausibly shortens or feminizes Sherman, an English occupational surname for a cloth-shearer, from Old English sceran, 'to shear', and mann, 'man'; its exact formation as a first name is uncertain.Low

In 30 seconds: Sherma likely feminizes Sherman, an English surname for a cloth-shearer. It has always been rare in the United States, peaking around 1944 (said SHER-mah).

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Origin LowEnglish, American

MeaningSherma most plausibly shortens or feminizes Sherman, an English occupational surname for a cloth-shearer, from Old English sceran, 'to shear', and mann, 'man'; its exact formation as a first name is uncertain.

U.S. rank (1964)#5407 ↘ Falling

1964 U.S. births8 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1944

Total births (all-time)≈ 319

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Sherma most plausibly reads as a short, feminized form of Sherman, the English occupational surname for a cloth-shearer. The exact path from surname to this compact first name is not firmly documented, which we note honestly rather than inventing a definite story.

Sherma was never common, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak around 1944, and it disappeared from records by the mid-1960s. It reads today as a distinctly wartime-era American name.

Did you know? Sherma's likely root, Sherman, was originally a job title - someone who sheared, or trimmed, woven cloth in medieval England.

Overall data confidence 38%

References - Sherma — Likely feminine short form of Sherman; route uncertain

Variations

ShermaineShermayne

Nicknames

Sherm

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Sherma…

Sherman— the likely parent surname

Shirley— a like vintage Sh- girl's name

Myrna— a like short two-syllable vintage name

Thelma— shares the same 1940s naming era

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By themeuncertain vintage surname-name uncommon

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Sherma mean?

It likely feminizes Sherman, an English surname meaning 'one who shears cloth'; the exact route is uncertain.

How do you pronounce Sherma?

It's said SHER-mah /ˈʃɜr.mə/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Sherma a boy or girl name?

Sherma is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Sherma?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only a small number of girls a year even at its peak in the mid-1940s.