Sharpe

Sharpe is a surname of English origin, derived from the Middle English word sharp, meaning keen or pointed. Variants include Sharp and Sharpe, and the name has been used as both a descriptive nickname and an inherited surname.

Notable people with the surname include William F. Sharpe, an American economist who shared the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 1990 for his contributions to financial economics. The name is also encountered in various professions and regions, reflecting its long-standing presence in English-speaking countries.

In culture, Richard Sharpe is the central character in Bernard Cornwell’s series of Napoleonic-era novels, detailing the exploits of a British Army officer. The character and stories were adapted for television in the Sharpe series, which aired from 1993 to 2008 and starred Sean Bean. The fictional works have contributed to the popularity of the name in popular media.

In finance, the Sharpe ratio is a widely used measure named after William F. Sharpe. It assesses the performance of an investment by adjusting for its risk, comparing the excess return of the investment to its standard deviation. The ratio is a standard tool in portfolio management and performance evaluation.