Total births
342
Unisex name · since 1999
Shams
Shams has 342 recorded births since 1999 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2025 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #3800
- among girls today
- 342
- born since 1999
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 79%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Shams is the #3800 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 342 recorded since 1999.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shams has been recorded 342 times among girls since 1999, currently ranked #3800 nationally and more common than 79% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2020s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1999 to 2025.
- #3800 among girls today
- 342 born since 1999
- 2020s peak decade
- 79% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shams is currently the #3800 unisex name in America, more common than 79% of girls - 342 born since 1999, peaking in the 2020s.
- #3800
- among girls today
- 342
- born since 1999
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 79%
- more common than other girls
Shams vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#3800
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 79% of names given to girls today.
2020s
Peak decade
52% of everyone ever named Shams was born in this single decade.
2025
Single peak year
42 babies were named Shams in 2025 - its busiest year on record.
How Shams compares
342 48th 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
Shams's all-time total is 10% below the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shams | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 342 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 42 | 48 | 19,840 |
Shams's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shams splits its recorded history at 2016: 75% of all births land in the more recent half, 25% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1999 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2025 peak of 42 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shams at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2025
Current rank
#3,800
Active since
1999
Shams popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1999–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 42
- Annual births at peak, across 27 years of records
Shams popularity over time - boys
106 total births recorded since 1993 (Shams as boys' name)
Shams by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Shams's strongest decade.
179 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 52% of all-time use.
Shams births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
- 2000s 28
2000s
28 births
- 2010s
2010s
130 births
- 2020s
2020s
179 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 179 births (52% of all-time use).
Shams by state
Where Shams concentrates geographically, total births since 1999
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 18 | 5.3% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 11 | 3.2% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 11 | 3.2% |
| #4 | Texas | | 5 | 1.5% |
California share of Shams's total US births 5.3%
Even split
18 of 342 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shams? ▼
342 babies have been named Shams since 1999. It currently ranks #3800 among girls. The peak year was 2025 with 42 births.
When was Shams most popular? ▼
Shams was most popular in the 2020s decade with 179 total births. The single peak year was 2025.
Where is Shams most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shams are California (18 births), Illinois (11 births), Michigan (11 births).
Is Shams a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Shams is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 342 births, and as a boy's name it has 106 births.
How long has the name Shams been used? ▼
Shams has been recorded in Social Security data since 1999, spanning 27 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Shams? ▼
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 Shams's data
- California records the most Shamss (18 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 Shams
Nearby Names Like Shams
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shams
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 Shams side by side: Shams vs Sharon Shams vs Shannon Shams vs Shawna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shams
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, 1999–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shams: #3800 Unisex Name - 342 Births, Peak 2025." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shams. 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 Shams 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.