Declining since 1997, #8,243 for boys today.
Popularity of Shareef since 1974
Babies named Shareef per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 147 |
| 1980s | 242 |
| 1990s | 314 |
| 2000s | 267 |
| 2010s | 160 |
| 2020s | 66 |
Meaning & origin
Shareef entered U.S. records in 1974 and reached its peak popularity in 1997, but has been declining since. In 2025 it ranked 8,243rd, given to roughly 1 in 189,786 newborn boys. The name remains an established choice within Arabic-speaking communities, though its use outside those contexts is rare.
Shareef derives from the Arabic root sh-r-f, meaning 'nobility' or 'honor.' The term 'sharif' (شريف) was historically used as a title for descendants of the Prophet Muhammad through his grandson Hasan, especially in the Hejaz region. As a given name, it has been used across the Arabic-speaking world and among Muslim communities globally.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Shar, Reef
Sibling names for Shareef
Names that share Shareef's style, for a brother or sister.
