Total births
451
Girls' name · since 1968
Shama
Shama has 451 recorded births since 1968 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1979 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #15691
- among girls today
- 451
- born since 1968
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 11%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Shama is the #15691 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 451 recorded since 1968.
Social Security Administration records show Shama recorded 451 times among girls since 1968, holding rank #15691 nationally today, ahead of 11% of girls, 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 1968 to 2024.
- #15691 among girls today
- 451 born since 1968
- 1980s peak decade
- 11% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shama is currently the #15691 girls' name in America, more common than 11% of girls - 451 born since 1968, peaking in the 1980s.
- #15691
- among girls today
- 451
- born since 1968
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 11%
- more common than other girls
Shama vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#15691
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 11% of names given to girls today.
1980s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Shama was born in this single decade.
1979
Single peak year
18 babies were named Shama in 1979 - its busiest year on record.
How Shama compares
451 Top 47% higher than 53% 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
Shama's all-time total is 18% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shama | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 451 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 18 | 48 | 19,840 |
Shama's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Shama's SSA record in two at 1994 and the more recent half accounts for 41% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 59%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1968, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1979 peak of 18, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Shama at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1979
Current rank
#15,691
Active since
1968
Shama popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1968–2024
- Peak year (1979)
- 18
- Annual births at peak, across 57 years of records
Shama by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Shama's strongest decade.
125 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Shama births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
- 1970s
1970s
91 births
- 1980s
1980s
125 births
- 1990s
1990s
87 births
- 2000s
2000s
69 births
- 2010s 39
2010s
39 births
- 2020s 35
2020s
35 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 125 births (28% of all-time use).
Shama by state
Where Shama concentrates geographically, total births since 1968
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 10 | 2.2% |
New York share of Shama's total US births 2.2%
10 of 451 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shama? ▼
451 babies have been named Shama since 1968. It currently ranks #15691 among girls. The peak year was 1979 with 18 births.
When was Shama most popular? ▼
Shama was most popular in the 1980s decade with 125 total births. The single peak year was 1979.
Where is Shama most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shama are New York (10 births).
How long has the name Shama been used? ▼
Shama has been recorded in Social Security data since 1968, spanning 57 years of data through 2024.
What names are similar to Shama? ▼
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 Shama's data
- Shama's decade-level peak was the 1980s (125 total births); usage has since declined to 35 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Shamas (10 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 Shama
Nearby Names Like Shama
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shama
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 Shama side by side: Shama vs Sharon Shama vs Shannon Shama vs Shawna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shama
Maryum #15690
324 births · Peak 2000
Shenandoah #15692
347 births · Peak 1995
Halena #15689
341 births · Peak 2007
Africa #15693
1,042 births · Peak 1972
Neko #15688
247 births · Peak 2009
Lacee #15694
2,557 births · Peak 1991
Jessika #15687
5,969 births · Peak 1990
Manisha #15695
872 births · Peak 1994
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, 1968–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shama: #15691 Girls' Name - 451 Births, Peak 1979." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shama. 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 Shama 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.