Total births
1,415
Girls' name · since 1970
Shanay
Since 1970, U.S. Social Security records show 1,415 babies named Shanay, peaking in 1992. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 1,415
- total births
- 1970–2012
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 43%
- born in that decade
Shanay sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 1,415 recorded since 1970.
Shanay has 1,415 recorded births among girls since 1970, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1980s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1970 to 2012.
- 1,415 total births
- 1970–2012 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 43% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
1,415 girls have been named Shanay since 1970, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2012.
- 1,415
- total births
- 1970–2012
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 43%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
43% of everyone ever named Shanay was born in this single decade.
1992
Single peak year
153 babies were named Shanay in 1992 - its busiest year on record.
Shanay's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shanay splits its recorded history at 1992: 29% of all births land in the more recent half, 71% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 2008 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1992 peak of 153 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shanay at a glance
Last recorded 2012Peak year
1992
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1970
Shanay popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1970–2012
- Peak year (1992)
- 153
- Annual births at peak, across 43 years of records
Shanay popularity over time - boys
50 total births recorded since 2017 (Shanay as boys' name)
Shanay by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Shanay's strongest decade.
602 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 43% of all-time use.
Shanay births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 132
1970s
132 births
- 1980s
1980s
602 births
- 1990s
1990s
572 births
- 2000s 99
2000s
99 births
- 2010s 10
2010s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 602 births (43% of all-time use).
How Shanay 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 Shanay's total volume
Shanay vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shanay by state
Where Shanay concentrates geographically, total births since 1970
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 182 | 12.9% |
| #2 | California | | 115 | 8.1% |
| #3 | Maryland | | 68 | 4.8% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 66 | 4.7% |
| #5 | New Jersey | | 53 | 3.7% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 44 | 3.1% |
| #7 | Florida | | 34 | 2.4% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 34 | 2.4% |
New York share of Shanay's total US births 12.9%
Even split
182 of 1,415 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 16 reporting states.
Shanay appears in 16 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shanay? ▼
Shanay has been given to 1,415 babies in the U.S. since 1970, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2012. 153 babies were born in 1992, its single highest year.
When was Shanay most popular? ▼
Shanay was most popular in the 1980s decade with 602 total births. The single peak year was 1992.
Where is Shanay most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shanay are New York (182 births), California (115 births), Maryland (68 births).
How long has the name Shanay been used? ▼
Records for Shanay go back to 1970, giving 43 years of history through 2012.
What names are similar to Shanay? ▼
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 Shanay's data
- Shanay's decade-level peak was the 1980s (602 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Shanays (182 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 Shanay
Nearby Names Like Shanay
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shanay
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 Shanay side by side: Shanay vs Sharon Shanay vs Shannon Shanay vs Shawna
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1970–2012 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shanay: Baby Name Since 1970 - 1,415 Births, Peak 1992." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shanay. 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 Shanay 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.