How to say it
STER · ling
/ˈstɜːr.lɪŋ/
Masculine
Sterling
Of the finest quality
What it means
From the English silver penny called a 'sterling,' possibly 'little star,' the source of 'pound sterling' and a byword for purity.
Sterling comes from the medieval English silver penny, the 'sterling,' perhaps named for a small star once stamped on it. The word grew to mean genuine, top-quality worth, as in sterling silver and a sterling reputation. As a name it carries that polish and a faint celestial echo. Sterling K. Brown gives it a current face. Said STUR-ling.
Popularity over time
peaked at #308 in 1895, currently #346 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Sterling is the usual given-name spelling; Stirling is the Scottish place and surname form.
- Worth knowing
Carries the 'sterling silver' sense of purity and high quality.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Sterling K. Brown American actor (This Is Us)
Spelling variants
- Stirling
Names with the same feeling
See Sterling from another angle
By style