Sharleen
Feminine · “free man”
The sh spelling cuts this name loose from Charles entirely. Written with a ch it is transparently one of the women's names English built on that root; written with an sh it joins a different family altogether, the Shar- names, and the connection disappears.
How old is the name Sharleen?
Sharleen first appears in US birth records in 1918 — 107 years ago. The typical Sharleen alive today was born around 1959, making them about 66 years old. About 2,100 people named Sharleen are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Sharleen most popular?
Sharleen peaked in 1951, reaching #765 nationally. See the whole 1951 chart.
Where it comes from
From Charles to Sharleen
The story of Sharleen
English writes this sound with a ch in French borrowings and an sh in native words, and that split does real work in names: the ch spellings look French and the sh spellings look American. Once a name crosses from one to the other it changes company. Charlene sits with Charlotte and Charles; Sharlene sits with Sharon, Sharla and Sharita. Nothing about the sound has moved, but everything about what the name appears to be has, and a reader meeting Sharleen has no reason at all to think of Charlemagne.
Meaningscholars disagree
free man
If the name descends from Charles the Germanic root means a man of no particular rank. If it was built on the Shar- front instead, it means nothing, and the spelling is what makes the question live.
How the name formed
- Charles
- Charlene
- Sharleen
Pronouncing Sharleen
shar-LEEN
Two syllables with the weight at the back. Charlene and Sharleen are said identically.
Nicknames for Sharleen
Moderate
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1918
- Most girls named
- 195076 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #765reached in 1951
- Change vs 2017
- −16.7%5 in 2020, from 6
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Sharleens among us
people named Sharleen are estimated to be alive in the US today
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
Questions parents actually ask
Fashion outlook
Sharleen sits outside the current charts, and that is its own kind of answer: naming cycles can only date the names they carried up. A name this rare has no decade stamped on it — it cannot go out of fashion, because it was never in.
Based on 146 years of naming cycles. How we read them
The trade-off
- The spelling leaves no doubt about the opening sound.
- Every sound in it is straightforward for an English speaker.
- It carries several short forms with quite different characters.
- Charlene is far commoner and will be written instead.
- The sh spelling hides the name it came from, which some families want and others do not.
- It reads clearly as a name of the middle of the twentieth century.
Nobody names a baby alone.
Put Sharleen to the vote.
Add it to a family vote or a couple’s swipe deck — the other person gets one card, a simple answer and room to say why. No app, no account for them.
Only the people you invite can see your list.
Already decided on Sharleen? Hide it among decoys and let them guess.
What they receive
Someone added a name to your list
Sharleen
Feminine
Frequently asked
- How many Sharleens are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 2,100 people named Sharleen are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Sharleen in 2025?
- Sharleen is rarely given in the US today — it does not rank in the top 2000 girl names.
- Will my child share the name Sharleen with classmates?
- Sharleen will almost certainly be the only one in school.
More S names
The most-given names starting with S, all years combined.
Susan#1085 · Sarah#90 · Sandra#1207 · Stephanie#557 · Sharon#1250 · Shirley#1581 · Samantha#151 · Sophia#5
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Sharleen? See the current top 100.
Choosing between Sharleen and another name?
See them side by side — full stats, history and a gentle verdict.
Compare side by sideIn a hurry? Just pick a winner — one tap, no sign-up, and you see how everyone else voted.
Weighing a whole shortlist? Add the rest in the builder, or settle it with a bracket.
Cast your vote
Which one would you pick?
Your gut first, the numbers after — the split shows once you pick.
US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
No advertising trackers and no data sellinghow we handle your dataindependent and founder-run, about Name Battle