Total births
3,450
Girls' name · since 1959
Shanita
3,450 babies named Shanita in U.S. Social Security records since 1959, with the highest year being 1978. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 3,450
- total births
- 1959–2008
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 47%
- born in that decade
Shanita is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 3,450 have been recorded since 1959.
Social Security Administration records show Shanita recorded 3,450 times among girls since 1959, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1959 to 2008.
- 3,450 total births
- 1959–2008 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 47% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
3,450 girls have been named Shanita since 1959, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2008.
- 3,450
- total births
- 1959–2008
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 47%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
47% of everyone ever named Shanita was born in this single decade.
1978
Single peak year
184 babies were named Shanita in 1978 - its busiest year on record.
Shanita's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Shanita's SSA record in two at 1985 and the more recent half accounts for 44% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 56%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1965, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1978 peak of 184, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Shanita at a glance
Last recorded 2008Peak year
1978
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1959
Shanita popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1959–2008
- Peak year (1978)
- 184
- Annual births at peak, across 50 years of records
Shanita by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Shanita's strongest decade.
1,636 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 47% of all-time use.
Shanita births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 6
1950s
6 births
- 1960s 96
1960s
96 births
- 1970s
1970s
996 births
- 1980s
1980s
1,636 births
- 1990s 625
1990s
625 births
- 2000s 91
2000s
91 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 1,636 births (47% of all-time use).
How Shanita 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 Shanita's total volume
Shanita vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shanita by state
Where Shanita concentrates geographically, total births since 1959
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 250 | 7.2% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 228 | 6.6% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 219 | 6.3% |
| #4 | New York | | 185 | 5.4% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 179 | 5.2% |
| #6 | Virginia | | 151 | 4.4% |
| #7 | Florida | | 150 | 4.3% |
| #8 | Maryland | | 117 | 3.4% |
North Carolina share of Shanita's total US births 7.2%
Even split
250 of 3,450 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 23 reporting states.
Shanita appears in 23 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shanita? ▼
Since 1959, Social Security records show 3,450 babies named Shanita. The most recent recorded year was 2008. Its busiest year on record was 1978, with 184 births.
When was Shanita most popular? ▼
Shanita was most popular in the 1980s decade with 1,636 total births. The single peak year was 1978.
Where is Shanita most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shanita are North Carolina (250 births), Illinois (228 births), Michigan (219 births).
How long has the name Shanita been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shanita since 1959 -- 50 years through the most recent 2008 data.
What names are similar to Shanita? ▼
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 Shanita's data
- Shanita's decade-level peak was the 1980s (1,636 total births); usage has since declined to 91 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Shanitas (250 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina 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 Shanita
Nearby Names Like Shanita
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shanita
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 Shanita side by side: Shanita vs Sharon Shanita vs Shannon Shanita 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, 1959–2008 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shanita: Baby Name Since 1959 - 3,450 Births, Peak 1978." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shanita. 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 Shanita 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.