Fun Facts About the Name Cheryl
- A favorite of earlier generations: Cheryl appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 34 years. Its last run lasted 2 consecutive years, from 1978 through 1979.
- More than 440 thousand babies named Cheryl: U.S. records list 440,512 babies given the name Cheryl from 1880 through 2025. Even 978 boys received the name Cheryl - about 1 boy for every 449 girls.
What Does the Name Cheryl Mean?
Cheryl is an English feminine name most often explained as meaning "beloved" or "darling." That sense comes from the French chérie, the feminine form of the past participle of chérir ("to cherish"), which descends from Latin carus ("dear"). The same Latin root lies behind the English word "cherish."
A second explanation treats Cheryl as an elaboration of the English word-name Cherry, taken from the fruit. Because the two proposed sources sound identical in English, the exact route the name took into the language is not fully settled, and reference works sometimes blend the two accounts. The similar-looking name Beryl has occasionally been suggested as an influence on Cheryl's shape, but the resemblance alone does not establish a shared origin.
Cheryl Name History & Origins
Cheryl came into use in the English-speaking world in the early 20th century, in the same period that other names drawn from French terms of endearment, such as Cherie, entered English. Its soft initial sound and French-looking spelling set it apart from older English names such as Charity or Charlotte, with which it has no established etymological link.
Variant spellings followed. Sheryl became an established form, and Cheryle, Cheryll, and Sherryl also appeared. The Sher- spellings overlap in sound with Sherry and Sheri, though those names have their own separate explanations.
The name spread through the United States, Canada, Britain, and Australia over the course of the 20th century, and it remained a familiar rather than a rare given name. Bearers include the model Cheryl Tiegs, the actress Cheryl Ladd, the basketball player Cheryl Miller, the singer Cheryl Cole, and the American singer Sheryl Crow, who uses the Sher- spelling.
In popular fiction, Cheryl Blossom is a character in the Archie Comics series, a use that is much later than the name's appearance in general English usage.
How Popular is the Name Cheryl?
Cheryl ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1944 through 1975, then returned in 1978 and remained through 1979.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,376 | 32 | 0.0020% |
| 2024 | #3,970 | 37 | 0.0023% |
| 2023 | #4,476 | 31 | 0.0019% |
| 2022 | #3,546 | 44 | 0.0027% |
| 2021 | #3,350 | 47 | 0.0029% |
| 2020 | #4,471 | 30 | 0.0019% |
| 2019 | #3,677 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 2018 | #2,915 | 57 | 0.0034% |
| 2017 | #2,935 | 56 | 0.0032% |
| 2016 | #2,488 | 73 | 0.0041% |
| 2015 | #3,067 | 55 | 0.0031% |
| 2014 | #2,936 | 58 | 0.0032% |
| 2013 | #3,013 | 55 | 0.0031% |
| 2012 | #2,519 | 72 | 0.0041% |
| 2011 | #2,701 | 65 | 0.0037% |
| 2010 | #2,390 | 79 | 0.0044% |
| 2009 | #2,788 | 64 | 0.0035% |
| 2008 | #2,188 | 91 | 0.0048% |
| 2007 | #2,276 | 85 | 0.0044% |
| 2006 | #2,210 | 87 | 0.0046% |
| 2005 | #1,881 | 103 | 0.0056% |
| 2004 | #1,669 | 116 | 0.0063% |
| 2003 | #1,668 | 115 | 0.0063% |
| 2002 | #1,746 | 104 | 0.0058% |
| 2001 | #1,342 | 143 | 0.0079% |
| 2000 | #1,448 | 127 | 0.0070% |
| 1999 | #1,133 | 173 | 0.0098% |
| 1998 | #1,145 | 165 | 0.0093% |
| 1997 | #986 | 198 | 0.0114% |
| 1996 | #813 | 250 | 0.0143% |
| 1995 | #780 | 255 | 0.0145% |
| 1994 | #685 | 307 | 0.0172% |
| 1993 | #612 | 374 | 0.0207% |
| 1992 | #534 | 441 | 0.0239% |
| 1991 | #457 | 539 | 0.0287% |
| 1990 | #415 | 615 | 0.0324% |
| 1989 | #351 | 731 | 0.0397% |
| 1988 | #280 | 889 | 0.0499% |
| 1987 | #263 | 959 | 0.0552% |
| 1986 | #251 | 1,031 | 0.0601% |
| 1985 | #209 | 1,224 | 0.0711% |
| 1984 | #202 | 1,323 | 0.0786% |
| 1983 | #176 | 1,562 | 0.0935% |
| 1982 | #159 | 1,875 | 0.1107% |
| 1981 | #134 | 2,116 | 0.1269% |
| 1980 | #119 | 2,609 | 0.1571% |
| 1979 | #94 | 3,210 | 0.2000% |
| 1978 | #94 | 3,167 | 0.2067% |
| 1977 | #135 | 2,121 | 0.1383% |
| 1976 | #105 | 2,489 | 0.1699% |
| 1975 | #97 | 2,997 | 0.2056% |
| 1974 | #88 | 3,497 | 0.2383% |
| 1973 | #74 | 4,010 | 0.2750% |
| 1972 | #56 | 5,136 | 0.3376% |
| 1971 | #50 | 6,327 | 0.3803% |
| 1970 | #44 | 7,439 | 0.4255% |
| 1969 | #41 | 8,346 | 0.4947% |
| 1968 | #37 | 9,138 | 0.5571% |
| 1967 | #35 | 10,768 | 0.6522% |
| 1966 | #34 | 11,713 | 0.6922% |
| 1965 | #31 | 12,552 | 0.7111% |
| 1964 | #29 | 14,079 | 0.7430% |
| 1963 | #24 | 15,046 | 0.7806% |
| 1962 | #24 | 16,588 | 0.8435% |
| 1961 | #20 | 18,299 | 0.9066% |
| 1960 | #17 | 19,117 | 0.9455% |
| 1959 | #18 | 20,949 | 1.0353% |
| 1958 | #13 | 24,118 | 1.1989% |
| 1957 | #16 | 22,644 | 1.1074% |
| 1956 | #18 | 21,279 | 1.0599% |
| 1955 | #19 | 19,110 | 0.9774% |
| 1954 | #22 | 15,015 | 0.7732% |
| 1953 | #28 | 12,265 | 0.6519% |
| 1952 | #31 | 12,201 | 0.6580% |
| 1951 | #30 | 11,986 | 0.6656% |
| 1950 | #29 | 11,823 | 0.6902% |
| 1949 | #28 | 12,007 | 0.7018% |
| 1948 | #25 | 13,220 | 0.7786% |
| 1947 | #24 | 13,890 | 0.7835% |
| 1946 | #27 | 11,526 | 0.7335% |
| 1945 | #32 | 8,149 | 0.6234% |
| 1944 | #36 | 7,972 | 0.6007% |
| 1943 | #102 | 2,878 | 0.2063% |
| 1942 | #280 | 591 | 0.0438% |
| 1941 | #309 | 442 | 0.0366% |
| 1940 | #410 | 284 | 0.0248% |
| 1939 | #390 | 289 | 0.0264% |
| 1938 | #312 | 397 | 0.0360% |
| 1937 | #563 | 145 | 0.0136% |
| 1936 | #688 | 94 | 0.0090% |
| 1935 | #668 | 99 | 0.0094% |
| 1934 | #768 | 76 | 0.0073% |
| 1933 | #867 | 60 | 0.0060% |
| 1932 | #1,005 | 49 | 0.0046% |
| 1931 | #999 | 49 | 0.0046% |
| 1930 | #1,145 | 42 | 0.0037% |
| 1929 | #1,108 | 44 | 0.0039% |
| 1928 | #1,116 | 46 | 0.0040% |
| 1927 | #1,428 | 32 | 0.0027% |
| 1926 | #1,631 | 26 | 0.0022% |
| 1925 | #1,902 | 21 | 0.0017% |
| 1924 | #1,883 | 22 | 0.0018% |
| 1923 | #1,562 | 28 | 0.0023% |
| 1922 | #2,129 | 18 | 0.0015% |
| 1921 | #2,137 | 18 | 0.0015% |
| 1920 | #2,614 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1919 | #2,667 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1918 | #2,219 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1917 | #1,660 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1916 | #3,312 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1914 | #2,943 | 7 | 0.0009% |
| 1912 | #3,043 | 5 | 0.0009% |
| 1909 | #2,265 | 5 | 0.0014% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | #6,520 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #7,127 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #4,924 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #4,770 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #5,686 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #5,752 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #6,440 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #5,019 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #5,472 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #4,221 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #4,671 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1976 | #3,762 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1975 | #2,926 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1974 | #2,373 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 1973 | #2,419 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1972 | #1,684 | 27 | 0.0017% |
| 1971 | #2,839 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1970 | #1,804 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1969 | #1,866 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1968 | #1,480 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1967 | #1,416 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1966 | #1,542 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1965 | #1,318 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 1964 | #1,176 | 43 | 0.0022% |
| 1963 | #1,282 | 37 | 0.0018% |
| 1962 | #1,151 | 45 | 0.0022% |
| 1961 | #1,224 | 42 | 0.0020% |
| 1960 | #1,132 | 48 | 0.0023% |
| 1959 | #1,231 | 40 | 0.0019% |
| 1958 | #995 | 59 | 0.0028% |
| 1957 | #1,217 | 41 | 0.0019% |
| 1956 | #1,572 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1955 | #1,343 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 1954 | #1,501 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1953 | #1,774 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1952 | #1,871 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1951 | #1,735 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1950 | #2,040 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1949 | #1,831 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1948 | #1,661 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1947 | #1,657 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1946 | #1,479 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 1945 | #1,505 | 20 | 0.0015% |
| 1944 | #1,445 | 22 | 0.0016% |
| 1943 | #1,848 | 16 | 0.0011% |
| 1939 | #3,568 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Cheryl
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Cheryl Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Cheryl's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Cheryl's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.