Sterling
Meaning of Sterling
Sterling, a masculine forename derived from an English surname, traces its etymology to Middle English sterlinge, a term that denoted both the resilient starling bird and the silver penny whose reliable alloy eventually defined the standard of “sterling” metal; consequently, the name conveys connotations of durability, purity, and calibrated worth rather than overt sentimentality. Documented in American birth registers since the late nineteenth century, Sterling has displayed a characteristically moderate but enduring presence—remaining within the nation’s male Top 500 for well over a century and, in the 2020s, averaging roughly 800 annual registrations, a volume that presently situates it around rank 350. Contemporary public figures such as Emmy-winning actor Sterling K. Brown and former NFL wide receiver Sterling Sharpe attest to its ongoing cultural visibility, yet the appeal of the name rests chiefly in its clear two-syllable phonetics (STUR-ling) and its metallurgical overtones of precision and trustworthiness, qualities that endow this Anglo-American classic with a restrained prestige attractive to parents seeking substance over embellishment.
Pronunciation
American English
- Pronunced as STUR-ling (/ˈstɜr.lɪŋ/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
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Notable People Named Sterling
| Sterling Price was a Missouri politician and Confederate general who rose in the Mexican American War, served as governor from 1853 to 1857, and led Western Civil War campaigns before defeat at Westport in 1864. |
| Sterling Gates is an American comic book and TV writer. |
| Sterling Clay Shepard is an American wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who played at Oklahoma and was a 2016 second round pick by the New York Giants. |
| Sterling Kelby Brown is an acclaimed American actor with three Primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe, an Oscar nomination, and recognition on the 2018 Time 100. |
| Sterling Sandmann Knight is an American actor, singer, and dancer best known for playing Chad Dylan Cooper on Sonny with a Chance and So Random, Zander Carlson on Melissa and Joey, and Christopher Wilde in Starstruck. |
| Sterling Sharpe is a former Green Bay Packers wide receiver who played from 1988 to 1994 before a neck injury ended his career, was selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025, and is the older brother of Shannon Sharpe. |
| Thomas Sterling Berry was the ninth bishop of the united dioceses of Killaloe, Kilfenora, Clonfert, and Kilmacduagh. |
| Sterling Alex Hitchcock is an American former Major League Baseball left handed pitcher who played from 1992 to 2004, mainly with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. |
| Sterling Beaumon is an American actor and producer best known for Mostly Ghostly and Lost, with credits including Law and Order SVU, Criminal Minds, CSI, The Killing, and Clue. |
