Girls' name · since 1971

Shamara

1,660 babies named Shamara in U.S. Social Security records since 1971, with the highest year being 1989. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.

#5,345 of 72,339
all-time among girls
1,660
born since 1971
1980s
peak decade

1,660 girls have been named Shamara since 1971, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shamara has been recorded 1,660 times among girls since 1971, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1971 to 2023.

  • #5,345 of 72,339 all-time among girls
  • 1,660 born since 1971
  • 1980s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shamara ranks #5,345 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,660 born since 1971, peaking in the 1980s.

#5,345 of 72,339
all-time among girls
1,660
born since 1971
1980s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Shamara's 1,660 recorded births place it above 92.61% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.

12 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

12 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by New York.

Shamara's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Shamara's full recorded timeline at 1997, 35% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 65% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 2015, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1989 peak of 66 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Shamara popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2023

Last recorded 2023
Peak year (1989)
66
Annual births at peak, across 53 years of records
020406080 197119781985199219992006201320202023 5

Shamara by decade

1980s is the heaviest window (526 births, 32% of the file).

1980s was Shamara's strongest decade.

526 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.

Shamara births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1980s at 526 births (32% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Shamara 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 Shamara's total volume

Shamara vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 2%4%6%8%10%12% 20406080100120 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -77, 5.4%-50, 4.6%-30, 9.2%-83, 4.3%-33, 7.2%-74, 5.4%-111, 2.5%-79, 3.1%-53, 5.6%-61, 3.8%-38, 6.7%-36, 6.8%-27, 5.9%-41, 6.1%-80, 10.9%Shamara-53, 4%Shamara
Shamara vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Shamara by state

Where Shamara concentrates geographically, total births since 1971

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Shamara
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 New York
78 4.7%
#2 Florida
39 2.3%
#3 California
34 2.0%
#4 North Carolina
34 2.0%
#5 Texas
33 2.0%
#6 Illinois
29 1.7%
#7 New Jersey
25 1.5%
#8 Michigan
21 1.3%
New York share of Shamara's total US births 4.7%
Even split

78 of 1,660 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 12 reporting states.

Shamara appears in 12 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Shamara?
Since 1971, Social Security records show 1,660 babies named Shamara. Across the full SSA archive it ranks #5,345 of 72,339 girls' names by total births. The most recent recorded year was 2023. Its busiest year on record was 1989, with 66 births.
Where does Shamara sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shamara ranks #5,345 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Shamara most popular?
Shamara was most popular in the 1980s decade with 526 total births. The single peak year was 1989.
Where is Shamara most popular?
The top states for the name Shamara are New York (78 births), Florida (39 births), California (34 births).
How long has the name Shamara been used?
The SSA has tracked Shamara since 1971 -- 53 years through the most recent 2023 data.
What names are similar to Shamara?
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 Shamara's data

  • Shamara's decade-level peak was the 1980s (526 total births); usage has since declined to 16 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • New York records the most Shamaras (78 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Shamara

Nearby Names Like Shamara

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shamara

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Shamara: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1971–2023 (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 Shamara 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.