Sharlene is a unique and distinctive given name of American origin. It is a variant spelling of the name Charlene, which means "free man" or "strong." The name Sharlene is believed to have been created by authors in the early 20th century for use as characters in their stories.
While the exact origins and history of the name Sharlene are not well-documented, it is thought to have gained popularity through its use in literature. One notable example is the character Sharkey from the popular novel "The Maltese Falcon" by Dashiell Hammett, which was published in 1930. While the character's full name was not Sharlene, some sources suggest that this variant spelling may have been inspired by her.
Despite its unclear origins, Sharlene has since become a recognized given name in its own right. It is often spelled with one "l" rather than two, but both spellings are used interchangeably. Today, Sharlene remains a relatively uncommon name, making it unique and distinctive for those who bear it.
The name Sharlene has seen a varied trend of popularity over the years in the United States. The earliest recorded birth was in 1917 with just five occurrences. This number remained relatively low until the late 1920s when it started to increase, reaching 37 births in 1931.
The 1930s and 1940s saw a steady rise in the popularity of Sharlene, peaking at 255 births in 1947. This trend continued into the early 1950s with a high of 380 births in 1956. However, from the mid-1950s onwards, there was a gradual decline in its popularity.
The late 1960s to the mid-1970s saw another peak in popularity, with 308 births recorded in 1964 and 270 births in 1963. But this trend also began to decrease gradually from the late 1970s onwards.
The last few decades have seen a significant drop in the number of newborn girls named Sharlene, with only 6 births recorded in 2023. Since its peak in the mid-20th century, the name has become quite rare, falling out of favor as newer names gained popularity. Despite this decline, it remains a historically significant name that was once popular among parents across several decades in the United States.
In total, there have been 12,157 births registered with the name Sharlene in the United States since records began.