Total births
240
Unisex name · since 2001
Sham
240 babies named Sham in U.S. Social Security records since 2001, with the highest year being 2018. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #7497
- among girls today
- 240
- born since 2001
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 58%
- more common than other girls
240 babies have been named Sham since 2001, making it today's #7497 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Sham recorded 240 times among girls since 2001, holding rank #7497 nationally today, ahead of 58% of girls, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 2001 to 2025.
- #7497 among girls today
- 240 born since 2001
- 2010s peak decade
- 58% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Sham is currently the #7497 unisex name in America, more common than 58% of girls - 240 born since 2001, peaking in the 2010s.
- #7497
- among girls today
- 240
- born since 2001
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 58%
- more common than other girls
Sham vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#7497
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 58% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
59% of everyone ever named Sham was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
33 babies were named Sham in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Sham compares
240 40th percentile among 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
Sham's all-time total is 37% below the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Sham | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 240 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 33 | 48 | 19,840 |
Sham's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Sham's SSA record in two at 2018 and the more recent half accounts for 56% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 44%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 2007, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2018 peak of 33, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Sham at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2018
Current rank
#7,497
Active since
2001
Sham popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 2001–2025
- Peak year (2018)
- 33
- Annual births at peak, across 25 years of records
Sham popularity over time - boys
36 total births recorded since 1972 (Sham as boys' name)
Sham by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Sham's strongest decade.
142 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 59% of all-time use.
Sham births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 2000s 11
2000s
11 births
- 2010s
2010s
142 births
- 2020s
2020s
87 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 142 births (59% of all-time use).
Sham by state
Where Sham concentrates geographically, total births since 2001
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 2.1% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 5 | 2.1% |
| #3 | Texas | | 5 | 2.1% |
California share of Sham's total US births 2.1%
Even split
5 of 240 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sham? ▼
Since 2001, Social Security records show 240 babies named Sham. Today it holds rank #7497 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2018, with 33 births.
When was Sham most popular? ▼
Sham was most popular in the 2010s decade with 142 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
Where is Sham most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Sham are California (5 births), Illinois (5 births), Texas (5 births).
Is Sham a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Sham is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 240 births, and as a boy's name it has 36 births.
How long has the name Sham been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Sham since 2001 -- 25 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Sham? ▼
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 Sham's data
- Sham's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (142 total births) through the 2020s (87) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Shams (5 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 Sham
Nearby Names Like Sham
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sham
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 Sham side by side: Sham vs Sharon Sham vs Shannon Sham vs Shawna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Sham
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, 2001–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Sham: #7497 Unisex Name - 240 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/sham. 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 Sham 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.