Total births
6,065
Unisex name · since 1951
Shae
Since 1951, U.S. Social Security records show 6,065 babies named Shae, peaking in 1998. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2156
- among girls today
- 6,065
- born since 1951
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 88%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Shae is the #2156 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 6,065 recorded since 1951.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shae has been recorded 6,065 times among girls since 1951, currently ranked #2156 nationally and more common than 88% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1951 to 2025.
- #2156 among girls today
- 6,065 born since 1951
- 1990s peak decade
- 88% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shae is currently the #2156 unisex name in America, more common than 88% of girls - 6,065 born since 1951, peaking in the 1990s.
- #2156
- among girls today
- 6,065
- born since 1951
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 88%
- more common than other girls
Shae vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#2156
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 88% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Shae was born in this single decade.
1998
Single peak year
227 babies were named Shae in 1998 - its busiest year on record.
How Shae compares
6,065 Top 12% higher than 88% 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
Shae's all-time total is 16x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shae | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 6,065 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 227 | 48 | 19,840 |
Shae's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Shae's full recorded timeline at 1992, 74% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 26% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1952, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1998 peak of 227 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Shae at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1998
Current rank
#2,156
Active since
1951
Shae popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1951–2025
- Peak year (1998)
- 227
- Annual births at peak, across 75 years of records
Shae popularity over time - boys
1,629 total births recorded since 1969 (Shae as boys' name)
Shae by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Shae's strongest decade.
1,680 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Shae births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 23
1950s
23 births
- 1960s 104
1960s
104 births
- 1970s 474
1970s
474 births
- 1980s
1980s
735 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,680 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,451 births
- 2010s
2010s
993 births
- 2020s 605
2020s
605 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 1,680 births (28% of all-time use).
How Shae 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 Shae's total volume
Shae vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shae by state
Where Shae concentrates geographically, total births since 1951
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 531 | 8.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 453 | 7.5% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 230 | 3.8% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 162 | 2.7% |
| #5 | Florida | | 152 | 2.5% |
| #6 | New York | | 141 | 2.3% |
| #7 | Utah | | 137 | 2.3% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 129 | 2.1% |
California share of Shae's total US births 8.8%
Even split
531 of 6,065 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 34 reporting states.
Shae appears in 34 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shae? ▼
Shae has been given to 6,065 babies in the U.S. since 1951, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #2156 as of the latest data. 227 babies were born in 1998, its single highest year.
When was Shae most popular? ▼
Shae was most popular in the 1990s decade with 1,680 total births. The single peak year was 1998.
Where is Shae most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shae are California (531 births), Texas (453 births), Illinois (230 births).
Is Shae a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Shae is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 6,065 births, and as a boy's name it has 1,629 births.
How long has the name Shae been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shae since 1951 -- 75 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Shae? ▼
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 Shae's data
- Shae's usage has stayed within range of its 1990s decade-level peak (1,680 total births) through the 2020s (605) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Shaes (531 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Shae
Nearby Names Like Shae
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shae
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 Shae side by side: Shae vs Sharon Shae vs Shannon Shae vs Shawna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shae
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, 1951–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shae: #2156 Unisex Name - 6,065 Births, Peak 1998." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shae. 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 Shae 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.