Total births
2,061
Girls' name · since 1947
Shala
Shala has 2,061 recorded births since 1947 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1991 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 2,061
- total births
- 1947–2012
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 33%
- born in that decade
Shala sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 2,061 recorded since 1947.
Social Security Administration records show Shala recorded 2,061 times among girls since 1947, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1947 to 2012.
- 2,061 total births
- 1947–2012 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 33% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
2,061 girls have been named Shala since 1947, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2012.
- 2,061
- total births
- 1947–2012
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 33%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Shala was born in this single decade.
1991
Single peak year
89 babies were named Shala in 1991 - its busiest year on record.
Shala's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Shala's full recorded timeline at 1984, 60% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 40% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1960, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1991 peak of 89 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Shala at a glance
Last recorded 2012Peak year
1991
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1947
Shala popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1947–2012
- Peak year (1991)
- 89
- Annual births at peak, across 66 years of records
Shala by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Shala's strongest decade.
670 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Shala births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 6
1940s
6 births
- 1950s 21
1950s
21 births
- 1960s 102
1960s
102 births
- 1970s
1970s
469 births
- 1980s
1980s
670 births
- 1990s
1990s
579 births
- 2000s 193
2000s
193 births
- 2010s 21
2010s
21 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 670 births (33% of all-time use).
How Shala 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 Shala's total volume
Shala vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shala by state
Where Shala concentrates geographically, total births since 1947
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 105 | 5.1% |
| #2 | California | | 80 | 3.9% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 55 | 2.7% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 31 | 1.5% |
| #5 | Florida | | 30 | 1.5% |
| #6 | Kansas | | 15 | 0.7% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 13 | 0.6% |
| #8 | Louisiana | | 12 | 0.6% |
Texas share of Shala's total US births 5.1%
Even split
105 of 2,061 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 15 reporting states.
Shala appears in 15 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shala? ▼
2,061 babies have been named Shala since 1947. It was last recorded in 2012. The peak year was 1991 with 89 births.
When was Shala most popular? ▼
Shala was most popular in the 1980s decade with 670 total births. The single peak year was 1991.
Where is Shala most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shala are Texas (105 births), California (80 births), Ohio (55 births).
How long has the name Shala been used? ▼
Shala has been recorded in Social Security data since 1947, spanning 66 years of data through 2012.
What names are similar to Shala? ▼
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 Shala's data
- Shala's decade-level peak was the 1980s (670 total births); usage has since declined to 21 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Shalas (105 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Shala
Nearby Names Like Shala
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shala
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 Shala side by side: Shala vs Sharon Shala vs Shannon Shala vs Shawna
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1947–2012 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shala: Baby Name Since 1947 - 2,061 Births, Peak 1991." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shala. 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 Shala 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 July 2026.