Total births
639
Unisex name · since 1962
Sha
Since 1962, U.S. Social Security records show 639 babies named Sha, peaking in 1989. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #15648
- among girls today
- 639
- born since 1962
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 12%
- more common than other girls
Sha currently ranks #15648 among unisex names in America, with 639 babies recorded since 1962.
Social Security Administration records show Sha recorded 639 times among girls since 1962, holding rank #15648 nationally today, ahead of 12% of girls, peaking in the 1970s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1962 to 2024.
- #15648 among girls today
- 639 born since 1962
- 1970s peak decade
- 12% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Sha is currently the #15648 unisex name in America, more common than 12% of girls - 639 born since 1962, peaking in the 1970s.
- #15648
- among girls today
- 639
- born since 1962
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 12%
- more common than other girls
Sha vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#15648
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 12% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Sha was born in this single decade.
1989
Single peak year
32 babies were named Sha in 1989 - its busiest year on record.
How Sha compares
639 Top 40% higher than 60% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Sha's all-time total is 67% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Sha | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 639 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 32 | 48 | 19,840 |
Sha's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Sha splits its recorded history at 1987: 48% of all births land in the more recent half, 52% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1962 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1989 peak of 32 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Sha at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1989
Current rank
#15,648
Active since
1962
Sha popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1962–2024
- Peak year (1989)
- 32
- Annual births at peak, across 63 years of records
Sha popularity over time - boys
127 total births recorded since 1972 (Sha as boys' name)
Sha by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Sha's strongest decade.
192 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Sha births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 49
1960s
49 births
- 1970s
1970s
192 births
- 1980s
1980s
150 births
- 1990s
1990s
184 births
- 2000s 37
2000s
37 births
- 2010s 22
2010s
22 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 192 births (30% of all-time use).
How Sha compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Sha's total volume
Sha vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Sha by state
Where Sha concentrates geographically, total births since 1962
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 40 | 6.3% |
| #2 | Alabama | | 20 | 3.1% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 12 | 1.9% |
| #4 | California | | 10 | 1.6% |
| #5 | Texas | | 5 | 0.8% |
| #6 | Virginia | | 5 | 0.8% |
New York share of Sha's total US births 6.3%
Even split
40 of 639 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sha? ▼
639 babies have been named Sha since 1962. It currently ranks #15648 among girls. The peak year was 1989 with 32 births.
When was Sha most popular? ▼
Sha was most popular in the 1970s decade with 192 total births. The single peak year was 1989.
Where is Sha most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Sha are New York (40 births), Alabama (20 births), Pennsylvania (12 births).
Is Sha a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Sha is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 639 births, and as a boy's name it has 127 births.
How long has the name Sha been used? ▼
Records for Sha go back to 1962, giving 63 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Sha? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sharon, Shannon, Shawna, Shari, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Sha's data
- Sha's decade-level peak was the 1970s (192 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Shas (40 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Sha
Nearby Names Like Sha
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sha
Sharon Girl
#1224 723,024 births
Shannon Girl
#1874 295,782 births
Shawna Girl
#6004 45,531 births
Shari Girl
#13636 40,927 births
Shawn Girl
#7307 33,055 births
Compare Sha side by side: Sha vs Sharon Sha vs Shannon Sha vs Shawna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Sha
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1962–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Sha: #15648 Unisex Name - 639 Births, Peak 1989." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/sha. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Sha draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.