Total births
295,782
Unisex name · since 1912
Shannon
Since 1912, U.S. Social Security records show 295,782 babies named Shannon, peaking in 1970. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1874
- among girls today
- 295,782
- born since 1912
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other girls
Shannon currently ranks #1874 among unisex names in America, with 295,782 babies recorded since 1912.
Social Security Administration records show Shannon recorded 295,782 times among girls since 1912, holding rank #1874 nationally today, ahead of 89% 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 1912 to 2025.
- #1874 among girls today
- 295,782 born since 1912
- 1970s peak decade
- 89% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shannon is currently the #1874 unisex name in America, more common than 89% of girls - 295,782 born since 1912, peaking in the 1970s.
- #1874
- among girls today
- 295,782
- born since 1912
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other girls
Shannon vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1874
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 89% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
38% of everyone ever named Shannon was born in this single decade.
1970
Single peak year
13,547 babies were named Shannon in 1970 - its busiest year on record.
How Shannon compares
295,782 Top 1% higher than 99% 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
Shannon's all-time total is 774x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shannon | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 295,782 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 13,547 | 48 | 19,840 |
Shannon's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Shannon's SSA record in two at 1972 and the more recent half accounts for 77% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 23%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1912, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1970 peak of 13,547, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Shannon at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1970
Current rank
#1,874
Active since
1912
Shannon popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2025
- Peak year (1970)
- 13,547
- Annual births at peak, across 114 years of records
Shannon popularity over time - boys
52,379 total births recorded since 1881 (Shannon as boys' name)
Shannon by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Shannon's strongest decade.
113,793 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 38% of all-time use.
Shannon births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 15
1910s
15 births
- 1920s 112
1920s
112 births
- 1930s 372
1930s
372 births
- 1940s 1,557
1940s
1,557 births
- 1950s 6,100
1950s
6,100 births
- 1960s 33,850
1960s
33,850 births
- 1970s
1970s
113,793 births
- 1980s
1980s
78,420 births
- 1990s
1990s
45,912 births
- 2000s 12,458
2000s
12,458 births
- 2010s 2,586
2010s
2,586 births
- 2020s 607
2020s
607 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 113,793 births (38% of all-time use).
How Shannon 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 Shannon's total volume
Shannon vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shannon by state
Where Shannon concentrates geographically, total births since 1912
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 32,634 | 11.0% |
| #2 | New York | | 17,278 | 5.8% |
| #3 | Texas | | 16,352 | 5.5% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 14,696 | 5.0% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 14,611 | 4.9% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 13,451 | 4.5% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 12,514 | 4.2% |
| #8 | Florida | | 12,480 | 4.2% |
California share of Shannon's total US births 11.0%
Even split
32,634 of 295,782 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Shannon appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shannon? ▼
Shannon has been given to 295,782 babies in the U.S. since 1912, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #1874 as of the latest data. 13,547 babies were born in 1970, its single highest year.
When was Shannon most popular? ▼
Shannon was most popular in the 1970s decade with 113,793 total births. The single peak year was 1970.
Where is Shannon most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shannon are California (32,634 births), New York (17,278 births), Texas (16,352 births).
Is Shannon a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Shannon is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 295,782 births, and as a boy's name it has 52,379 births.
How long has the name Shannon been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shannon since 1912 -- 114 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Shannon? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sharon, Shawna, Shari, Shawn, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Shannon's data
- Shannon's decade-level peak was the 1970s (113,793 total births); usage has since declined to 607 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Shannons (32,634 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 Shannon
Nearby Names Like Shannon
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shannon
Sharon Girl
#1224 723,024 births
Shawna Girl
#6004 45,531 births
Shari Girl
#13636 40,927 births
Shawn Girl
#7307 33,055 births
Shayla Girl
#1803 30,933 births
Compare Shannon side by side: Shannon vs Sharon Shannon vs Shawna Shannon vs Shari
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shannon
Santana #1873
5,941 births · Peak 1985
Joni #1875
28,815 births · Peak 1956
Noella #1872
3,215 births · Peak 2018
Elana #1876
8,909 births · Peak 2006
Blythe #1871
5,168 births · Peak 2013
Emmi #1877
2,335 births · Peak 2018
Marion #1870
189,218 births · Peak 1924
Ally #1878
10,230 births · Peak 1998
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, 1912–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shannon: #1874 Unisex Name - 295,782 Births, Peak 1970." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shannon. 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 Shannon 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.