Boys' name · since 1898
Shafter
Shafter has 119 recorded births since 1898 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1898 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #16,293 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 119
- born since 1898
- 1920s
- peak decade
Shafter sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 119 recorded since 1898.
Social Security Administration records show Shafter recorded 119 times among boys since 1898, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1898 to 1942.
- #16,293 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 119 born since 1898
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shafter ranks #16,293 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 119 born since 1898, peaking in the 1920s.
- #16,293 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 119
- born since 1898
- 1920s
- peak decade
Shafter's 119 recorded births place it above 64.14% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Kentucky.
Shafter's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Shafter's full recorded timeline at 1926, 47% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 53% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1902, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1898 peak of 14 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Shafter popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1898–1942
- Peak year (1898)
- 14
- Annual births at peak, across 45 years of records
Shafter by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (48 births, 40% of the file).
1920s was Shafter's strongest decade.
48 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 40% of all-time use.
Shafter births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 14
1890s
14 births
- 1900s 18
1900s
18 births
- 1910s 7
1910s
7 births
- 1920s
1920s
48 births
- 1930s
1930s
26 births
- 1940s 6
1940s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 48 births (40% of all-time use).
Shafter by state
Where Shafter concentrates geographically, total births since 1898
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 5 | 4.2% |
5 of 119 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Shafter's data
- Shafter's decade-level peak was the 1920s (48 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 1940s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Shafters (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Shafter
Nearby Names Like Shafter
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shafter
Compare Shafter side by side: Shafter vs Shawn Shafter vs Shane Shafter vs Shaun
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Shafter: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1898)
Similar record span (~44 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1898–1942 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Shafter 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 August 2026.