Explore Baby Names
Curating meaningful names for the next generation. Search through thousands of names with deep historical roots and modern appeal.
Sheldon
“Settlement on a shelf hill”
Sheldon began as an English topographic surname and entered use as a given name in the 19th century. It was particularly popular in Jewish-American communities during the mid-20th century. The name gained extraordinary cultural resonance through the character Sheldon Cooper in the television sitcom 'The Big Bang Theory', introducing it to a new global generation.
Shelley
“Woodland clearing on a ledge”
Shelley has long been associated with literary greatness through the Romantic poets Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Shelley, lending the name an intellectual and creative aura. It became widely popular as a given name, especially for girls, in the mid-20th century across English-speaking countries. The name carries both a pastoral English gentleness and a connection to visionary artistic achievement.
Shelly
“Mine, belonging to me”
In Hebrew, Shelly (also spelled Sheli) means 'mine' or 'belonging to me,' expressing endearment and a sense of cherished belonging. It is also used as an English diminutive of Shelley.
Shelton
“Farm settlement on a ledge”
Shelton originated as an English surname tied to specific villages in Norfolk and other English counties before becoming a given name. It shares its topographic root with Sheldon and Shelley, reflecting the English habit of naming settlements by their physical landscape features. In American usage it has been especially prominent as both a surname and given name in Southern states.
Shelumiel
“God is my peace”
Shelumiel is a biblical Hebrew name meaning 'God is my peace' or 'friend of God,' derived from 'shalom' (peace) and 'El' (God). It is a name of profound spiritual significance rooted in the concept of divine wholeness.
Shemayah
“God has heard”
Shemayah is a Hebrew name meaning 'God has heard' or 'the Lord hears,' composed of 'shama' (to hear) and 'Yah' (a shortened form of the divine name). It expresses faith that prayers are received and answered.
Shenghua
“Flourishing brilliance and splendour”
Shenghua (盛华) combines 盛 (shèng), meaning 'flourishing,' 'prosperous,' or 'magnificent,' with 华 (huá), meaning 'splendor,' 'brilliance,' or 'the finest of China.' Together the name evokes a life of vibrant prosperity and radiant brilliance, a fitting aspiration for any child.
Shenghui
“Sacred wisdom and insight”
Shenghui (圣慧) pairs 圣 (shèng), meaning 'sage,' 'holy,' or 'saintly,' with 慧 (huì), meaning 'wisdom,' 'intelligence,' or 'insight.' The name expresses the profound aspiration that the child will grow to possess both sacred moral character and exceptional intellectual wisdom.
Shengli
“Victory”
Shengli is a Chinese masculine name written with the characters for victory and power or benefit. The name directly expresses triumph and success, conveying the aspiration that a son will overcome challenges and achieve great things. It was particularly popular in China during the mid-twentieth century, especially in the revolutionary era when names expressing collective achievement were favoured. Today it carries associations with that historical period while retaining its core meaning of triumphant success.
Shengyu
“Sage-like and vast as the cosmos”
Shengyu (圣宇) brings together 圣 (shèng), meaning 'sage,' 'holy,' or 'virtuous,' and 宇 (yǔ), meaning 'universe' or 'vast space.' The name conveys an image of a person with the moral stature of a sage and a spirit as expansive as the cosmos.
Shenley
“Bright, beautiful woodland clearing”
Shenley is a rare and distinctive English given name rooted in the place name of villages in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. As a personal name it has remained uncommon, giving it a unique quality that appeals to parents seeking an authentically English name with historical roots. Its lyrical sound and evocative meaning connect it to the pastoral English landscape.
Shenming
“Divine brilliance, spiritually enlightened”
Shenming (神明) combines 神 (shén), meaning 'spirit,' 'divine,' or 'supernatural power,' with 明 (míng), meaning 'bright,' 'clear,' or 'enlightened.' The name suggests a person touched by divine clarity, spiritually bright and possessed of an enlightened mind.
Shepherd
“One who tends sheep”
Shepherd is a straightforward occupational English surname that has steadily gained traction as a given name in the 21st century. Its meaning resonates on both a literal and metaphorical level, evoking leadership, nurturing, and the guiding of others, which gives it a quietly powerful character. The name also carries strong religious overtones, given its prominent use as a metaphor in Christian scripture.
Sherborne
“Bright clear-running stream”
Sherborne is a distinguished English place name, most famously associated with the historic town of Sherborne in Dorset, which is home to a celebrated medieval abbey and one of England's oldest independent schools. As a given name it is exceptionally rare, carrying with it an aura of English heritage, aristocratic association, and centuries of history. Its use as a personal name is a bold choice that honours the depth of English cultural identity.
Sheridan
“Descendant of the seeker”
Sheridan began as an Irish surname that transitioned into use as a given name, particularly in the United States from the 19th century onward. It carries a distinguished, slightly aristocratic tone and is used for both boys and girls. The name evokes images of classic American frontier history as well as theatrical culture.
Sherlock
“Fair-haired, bright locks”
Sherlock is an Old English occupational or descriptive surname that made a dramatic transition to a given name largely through the enduring fame of Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. The name has a strong, distinctive sound that lends itself to memorable characters. In modern culture it is synonymous with razor-sharp deductive reasoning.
Sherwood
“Bright forest, shire wood”
Sherwood is deeply tied to English legend through Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, the legendary haunt of Robin Hood. As a given name it projects a rugged, outdoorsy character with roots in medieval English landscape. It has been used primarily as a masculine given name in the United States from the late 19th century.
Shifra
“Beautiful, improved”
Shifra comes from the Hebrew root meaning beautiful or improved, with connotations of brightness and elegance. The name is most celebrated for its bearer in the Book of Exodus: Shifra was one of two Hebrew midwives who, at great personal risk, defied Pharaoh's command to kill newborn Hebrew boys, instead preserving life with quiet, courageous disobedience. Her name is thus inseparable from bravery and moral integrity.
Shifrah
“Beautiful, pleasant”
Shifrah is a Hebrew name meaning 'beautiful,' 'pleasant,' or 'good-looking,' derived from the root 'shafar' meaning to be beautiful or to make beautiful. It conveys grace and loveliness.
Shigeru
“to flourish or to grow luxuriantly”
Shigeru is written with kanji such as 茂 (shigeru, to grow thickly/flourish) or 繁 (shigeru, to be prosperous/abundant). Both characters are rooted in the natural world, describing the dense growth of vegetation or the proliferation of life. The name embodies a wish for its bearer to flourish in all endeavors, growing strong and abundant like a thriving forest that fills the landscape with life and vigor.
Shihab
“Shooting star, meteor”
Shihab means 'shooting star,' 'meteor,' or 'flame' in Arabic, conjuring an image of brilliance, speed, and luminous power streaking across the night sky. The name evokes a person of exceptional brightness, energy, and impact. It suggests someone whose presence is both dazzling and forceful.
Shihan
“Poetic and elegant”
Shihan combines the character for poetry or poetic spirit with the character for elegant, vast, or cold clarity. The name suggests a person of literary accomplishment and refined sensibility, someone whose character has the measured, luminous quality of great poetry. It is a scholarly name with a contemplative, artistic atmosphere that appeals to families who value literary culture.
Shiho
“poem”
Shiho is typically written with kanji such as 詩帆 (poem + sail), 志帆 (will/ambition + sail), or 枝穂 (branch + grain spike). The most romantic rendering, 詩帆, conjures the image of a poem written on a sail, a vessel of language and wind carrying meaning across distances. The name has a distinctly lyrical quality that appeals to parents with artistic or literary sensibilities.
Shijie
“World hero”
Shijie combines the Chinese characters for world and outstanding or heroic. The name suggests someone whose excellence is recognised on a global stage, a person of international achievement and broad vision. It carries an ambitious, aspirational quality that reflects the hopes many Chinese families hold for a son who will excel beyond boundaries and make his mark on the wider world.
Shiki
“Four seasons”
The most common meaning of Shiki is the four seasons, written with the kanji for four and season. This reading celebrates the full cycle of nature's changes and the beauty found in every phase of life. Shiki can also be written with characters meaning ceremony or style, and with other combinations, offering families considerable creative choice in how the name's meaning is expressed.
Shiloh
“Peaceful, tranquil place”
Shiloh is a gender-neutral name with strong biblical roots that has been adopted into English usage. It gained widespread modern attention when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie named their daughter Shiloh in 2006. The name has a gentle, lyrical quality and evokes peace and serenity.
Shimon
“God has heard”
Shimon is the Hebrew form of Simon, derived from the root 'shama' meaning 'to hear' or 'to be heard,' often interpreted as 'God has heard.' It is the name of one of the twelve sons of Jacob and a tribe of Israel.
Shin
“True or new”
Shin is a Japanese name whose meaning depends on the kanji character used to write it. Written with the kanji for 'true' or 'genuine', it suggests authenticity and moral integrity. Written with the kanji for 'new', it evokes freshness, innovation, and renewal, making it a name rich with philosophical possibility depending on the character chosen by the family.
Shingo
“True enlightenment”
Shingo is a Japanese given name constructed from kanji characters that most commonly pair shin, meaning true, genuine, or new, with go, meaning enlightenment, prospering, or the number five. The combination creates a name of thoughtful depth, suggesting a life guided by genuine understanding and progress. It is a considered, intellectual name with a calm philosophical quality.
Shinji
“True second son”
Shinji is a Japanese name most commonly written with the kanji for shin (true, genuine, real) and ji (second, next), traditionally indicating a second-born son. However, like many Japanese names, it can be written with different kanji to carry alternative meanings such as new path or deep benevolence. The name conveys sincerity, depth and quiet inner strength.
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