Sterling

A word name polished to a high shine, Sterling comes from the Old English steorling, little star, the stamp on early Norman coins that gave its name to British currency and, by extension, to anything of genuine quality. The name holds a particular resonance in Black American families, worn by jazz pianist Sterling Magee and actor Sterling K. Brown. It crossed firmly into given-name territory in the twentieth century and now sits comfortably in the U.S. top 400. Two syllables with metallic clarity, that final ing humming softly. Sterling reads accomplished and confident, a name that suggests the work is already done.