Total births
430
Boys' name · since 1972
Shah
Since 1972, U.S. Social Security records show 430 babies named Shah, peaking in 2009. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5980
- among boys today
- 430
- born since 1972
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 58%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Shah is the #5980 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 430 recorded since 1972.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shah has been recorded 430 times among boys since 1972, currently ranked #5980 nationally and more common than 58% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1972 to 2025.
- #5980 among boys today
- 430 born since 1972
- 2010s peak decade
- 58% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shah is currently the #5980 boys' name in America, more common than 58% of boys - 430 born since 1972, peaking in the 2010s.
- #5980
- among boys today
- 430
- born since 1972
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 58%
- more common than other boys
Shah vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5980
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 58% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
25% of everyone ever named Shah was born in this single decade.
2009
Single peak year
22 babies were named Shah in 2009 - its busiest year on record.
How Shah compares
430 Top 47% higher than 53% 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
Shah's all-time total is 17% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shah | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 430 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 22 | 23 | 22,252 |
Shah's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shah splits its recorded history at 2004: 59% of all births land in the more recent half, 41% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1972 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2009 peak of 22 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shah at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2009
Current rank
#5,980
Active since
1972
Shah popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1972–2025
- Peak year (2009)
- 22
- Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
Shah popularity over time - girls
10 total births recorded since 1979 (Shah as girls' name)
Shah by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Shah's strongest decade.
108 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Shah births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 40
1970s
40 births
- 1980s 18
1980s
18 births
- 1990s
1990s
79 births
- 2000s
2000s
106 births
- 2010s
2010s
108 births
- 2020s
2020s
79 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 108 births (25% of all-time use).
Shah by state
Where Shah concentrates geographically, total births since 1972
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shah? ▼
Shah has been given to 430 babies in the U.S. since 1972, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #5980 as of the latest data. 22 babies were born in 2009, its single highest year.
When was Shah most popular? ▼
Shah was most popular in the 2010s decade with 108 total births. The single peak year was 2009.
Where is Shah most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shah are New York (23 births), Michigan (5 births).
How long has the name Shah been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shah since 1972 -- 54 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Shah? ▼
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 Shah's data
- Shah's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (108 total births) through the 2020s (79) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Shahs (23 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 Shah
Nearby Names Like Shah
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shah
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 Shah side by side: Shah vs Shawn Shah vs Shane Shah vs Shaun
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shah
Haitham #5979
350 births · Peak 2025
Marquell #5981
1,562 births · Peak 1996
Ami #5978
422 births · Peak 2007
Tavares #5982
2,985 births · Peak 1977
Damar #5977
1,140 births · Peak 1990
Tysen #5983
1,668 births · Peak 2010
Ulisses #5976
1,312 births · Peak 1999
Markese #5984
1,165 births · Peak 1995
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, 1972–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shah: #5980 Boys' Name - 430 Births, Peak 2009." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shah. 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 Shah 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.