Total births
4,525
Girls' name · since 1962
Shani
Since 1962, U.S. Social Security records show 4,525 babies named Shani, peaking in 1969. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6450
- among girls today
- 4,525
- born since 1962
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 64%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Shani is the #6450 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 4,525 recorded since 1962.
Social Security Administration records show Shani recorded 4,525 times among girls since 1962, holding rank #6450 nationally today, ahead of 64% of girls, peaking in the 1970s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1962 to 2025.
- #6450 among girls today
- 4,525 born since 1962
- 1970s peak decade
- 64% more common than other girls
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Shani is currently the #6450 girls' name in America, more common than 64% of girls - 4,525 born since 1962, peaking in the 1970s.
- #6450
- among girls today
- 4,525
- born since 1962
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 64%
- more common than other girls
Shani vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#6450
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 64% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
32% of everyone ever named Shani was born in this single decade.
1969
Single peak year
223 babies were named Shani in 1969 - its busiest year on record.
How Shani compares
4,525 Top 14% higher than 86% 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
Shani's all-time total is 12x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shani | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,525 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 223 | 48 | 19,840 |
Shani's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Shani's full recorded timeline at 1994, 29% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 71% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1963, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1969 peak of 223 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Shani at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1969
Current rank
#6,450
Active since
1962
Shani popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1962–2025
- Peak year (1969)
- 223
- Annual births at peak, across 64 years of records
Shani popularity over time - boys
17 total births recorded since 1975 (Shani as boys' name)
Shani by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Shani's strongest decade.
1,429 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Shani births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 413
1960s
413 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,429 births
- 1980s
1980s
920 births
- 1990s
1990s
866 births
- 2000s
2000s
592 births
- 2010s 216
2010s
216 births
- 2020s 89
2020s
89 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 1,429 births (32% of all-time use).
How Shani 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 Shani's total volume
Shani vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shani by state
Where Shani concentrates geographically, total births since 1962
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 648 | 14.3% |
| #2 | New York | | 598 | 13.2% |
| #3 | Florida | | 176 | 3.9% |
| #4 | Texas | | 155 | 3.4% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 99 | 2.2% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 91 | 2.0% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 91 | 2.0% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 73 | 1.6% |
California share of Shani's total US births 14.3%
Even split
648 of 4,525 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 27 reporting states.
Shani appears in 27 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shani? ▼
4,525 babies have been named Shani since 1962. It currently ranks #6450 among girls. The peak year was 1969 with 223 births.
When was Shani most popular? ▼
Shani was most popular in the 1970s decade with 1,429 total births. The single peak year was 1969.
Where is Shani most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shani are California (648 births), New York (598 births), Florida (176 births).
How long has the name Shani been used? ▼
Shani has been recorded in Social Security data since 1962, spanning 64 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Shani? ▼
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 Shani's data
- Shani's decade-level peak was the 1970s (1,429 total births); usage has since declined to 89 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Shanis (648 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 Shani
Nearby Names Like Shani
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shani
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 Shani side by side: Shani vs Sharon Shani vs Shannon Shani vs Shawna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shani
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, 1962–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shani: #6450 Girls' Name - 4,525 Births, Peak 1969." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shani. 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 Shani 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.