Total births
613
Unisex name · since 1987
Shadow
Shadow has 613 recorded births since 1987 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1993 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #6320
- among boys today
- 613
- born since 1987
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 56%
- more common than other boys
Shadow currently ranks #6320 among unisex names in America, with 613 babies recorded since 1987.
Social Security Administration records show Shadow recorded 613 times among boys since 1987, holding rank #6320 nationally today, ahead of 56% of boys, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1987 to 2025.
- #6320 among boys today
- 613 born since 1987
- 1990s peak decade
- 56% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shadow is currently the #6320 unisex name in America, more common than 56% of boys - 613 born since 1987, peaking in the 1990s.
- #6320
- among boys today
- 613
- born since 1987
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 56%
- more common than other boys
Shadow vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6320
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 56% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
42% of everyone ever named Shadow was born in this single decade.
1993
Single peak year
36 babies were named Shadow in 1993 - its busiest year on record.
How Shadow compares
613 Top 39% higher than 61% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Shadow's all-time total is 67% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shadow | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 613 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 36 | 23 | 22,252 |
Shadow's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Shadow's SSA record in two at 2006 and the more recent half accounts for 42% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 58%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 2012, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1993 peak of 36, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Shadow at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1993
Current rank
#6,320
Active since
1987
Shadow popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1987–2025
- Peak year (1993)
- 36
- Annual births at peak, across 39 years of records
Shadow popularity over time - girls
491 total births recorded since 1974 (Shadow as girls' name)
Shadow by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Shadow's strongest decade.
258 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 42% of all-time use.
Shadow births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 45
1980s
45 births
- 1990s
1990s
258 births
- 2000s 100
2000s
100 births
- 2010s
2010s
120 births
- 2020s 90
2020s
90 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 258 births (42% of all-time use).
How Shadow compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Shadow's total volume
Shadow vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shadow? ▼
Shadow has been given to 613 babies in the U.S. since 1987, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #6320 as of the latest data. 36 babies were born in 1993, its single highest year.
When was Shadow most popular? ▼
Shadow was most popular in the 1990s decade with 258 total births. The single peak year was 1993.
Is Shadow a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Shadow is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 613 births, and as a girl's name it has 491 births.
How long has the name Shadow been used? ▼
Records for Shadow go back to 1987, giving 39 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Shadow? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Shawn, Shane, Shaun, Shannon, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Shadow's data
- Shadow's usage has stayed within range of its 1990s decade-level peak (258 total births) through the 2020s (90) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- 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 Shadow
Nearby Names Like Shadow
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shadow
Shawn Boy
#637 306,542 births
Shane Boy
#601 192,583 births
Shaun Boy
#1567 70,481 births
Shannon Boy
#2597 52,379 births
Shayne Boy
#4006 10,741 births
Compare Shadow side by side: Shadow vs Shawn Shadow vs Shane Shadow vs Shaun
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shadow
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, 1987–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shadow: #6320 Unisex Name - 613 Births, Peak 1993." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shadow. 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 Shadow 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.