Total births
2,224
Unisex name · since 1944
Shan
Since 1944, U.S. Social Security records show 2,224 babies named Shan, peaking in 1969. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #9119
- among boys today
- 2,224
- born since 1944
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 36%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Shan is the #9119 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 2,224 recorded since 1944.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shan has been recorded 2,224 times among boys since 1944, currently ranked #9119 nationally and more common than 36% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1944 to 2024.
- #9119 among boys today
- 2,224 born since 1944
- 1970s peak decade
- 36% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Shan is currently the #9119 unisex name in America, more common than 36% of boys - 2,224 born since 1944, peaking in the 1970s.
- #9119
- among boys today
- 2,224
- born since 1944
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 36%
- more common than other boys
Shan vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9119
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 36% of names given to boys today.
1970s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Shan was born in this single decade.
1969
Single peak year
73 babies were named Shan in 1969 - its busiest year on record.
How Shan compares
2,224 Top 20% higher than 80% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Shan's all-time total is 6x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shan | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,224 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 73 | 23 | 22,252 |
Shan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shan splits its recorded history at 1988: 44% of all births land in the more recent half, 56% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1944 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1969 peak of 73 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shan at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1969
Current rank
#9,119
Active since
1944
Shan popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1944–2024
- Peak year (1969)
- 73
- Annual births at peak, across 81 years of records
Shan popularity over time - girls
864 total births recorded since 1944 (Shan as girls' name)
Shan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Shan's strongest decade.
540 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Shan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 95
1950s
95 births
- 1960s
1960s
346 births
- 1970s
1970s
540 births
- 1980s
1980s
337 births
- 1990s
1990s
362 births
- 2000s
2000s
313 births
- 2010s 182
2010s
182 births
- 2020s 44
2020s
44 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 540 births (24% of all-time use).
How Shan compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Shan's total volume
Shan vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Shan by state
Where Shan concentrates geographically, total births since 1944
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 209 | 9.4% |
| #2 | Texas | | 66 | 3.0% |
| #3 | New York | | 55 | 2.5% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 23 | 1.0% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 21 | 0.9% |
| #6 | New Jersey | | 16 | 0.7% |
| #7 | Florida | | 13 | 0.6% |
| #8 | Louisiana | | 10 | 0.4% |
California share of Shan's total US births 9.4%
Even split
209 of 2,224 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 9 reporting states.
Shan appears in 9 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shan? ▼
2,224 babies have been named Shan since 1944. It currently ranks #9119 among boys. The peak year was 1969 with 73 births.
When was Shan most popular? ▼
Shan was most popular in the 1970s decade with 540 total births. The single peak year was 1969.
Where is Shan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shan are California (209 births), Texas (66 births), New York (55 births).
Is Shan a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Shan is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 2,224 births, and as a girl's name it has 864 births.
How long has the name Shan been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shan since 1944 -- 81 years through the most recent 2024 data.
What names are similar to Shan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Shawn, Shane, Shaun, Shannon, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Shan's data
- Shan's decade-level peak was the 1970s (540 total births); usage has since declined to 44 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Shans (209 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 Shan
Nearby Names Like Shan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shan
Shawn Boy
#637 306,542 births
Shane Boy
#601 192,583 births
Shaun Boy
#1567 70,481 births
Shannon Boy
#2597 52,379 births
Shayne Boy
#4006 10,741 births
Compare Shan side by side: Shan vs Shawn Shan vs Shane Shan vs Shaun
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shan
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, 1944–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shan: #9119 Unisex Name - 2,224 Births, Peak 1969." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shan. 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 Shan 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.