diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 285399407e..28ecb99196 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # ggplot2 (development version)
 
+* geom_sf now accepts shape names (@sierrajohnson, #5808)
 * Added `gg` class to `labs()` (@phispu, #5553).
 * Missing values from discrete palettes are no longer translated 
   (@teunbrand, #5929).
diff --git a/R/geom-sf.R b/R/geom-sf.R
index c6298e4b3a..457b8c272d 100644
--- a/R/geom-sf.R
+++ b/R/geom-sf.R
@@ -200,6 +200,9 @@ GeomSf <- ggproto("GeomSf", Geom,
     if (!inherits(coord, "CoordSf")) {
       cli::cli_abort("{.fn {snake_class(self)}} can only be used with {.fn coord_sf}.")
     }
+    if (is.character(data$shape)) {
+      data$shape <- translate_shape_string(data$shape)
+    }
 
     data <- coord$transform(data, panel_params)