Sterling: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “little star; of high quality”
- Origin
- English
- Say it
- STUR-ling · 2 syllables
- Used for
- Boys (91% of all uses)
From an English surname and word sterling, historically linked to the medieval silver penny called a sterling. The surname etymology is debated; association with 'little star' is traditional but uncertain.
How popular is Sterling?
Babies named Sterling in 20241,098
2024 rank#372 boys
Peak year2024
Total US babies since 188040,025
Sterling is rising: use over the last five years is 2.4× what it was a decade earlier.
Names like Sterling
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
Sterling questions
What does the name Sterling mean?
Sterling means "little star; of high quality". It comes from English. From an English surname and word sterling, historically linked to the medieval silver penny called a sterling. The surname etymology is debated; association with 'little star' is traditional but uncertain.
Is Sterling a boy or girl name?
Sterling is mainly a boy's name in US records (91% of uses since 1880).
How popular is Sterling?
1,098 US babies were named Sterling in 2024. Its peak year was 2024.
How do you pronounce Sterling?
Sterling is usually pronounced STUR-ling.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.