Total births
1,336
Boys' name · since 1914
Shaw
Since 1914, U.S. Social Security records show 1,336 babies named Shaw, peaking in 2020. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4217
- among boys today
- 1,336
- born since 1914
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 70%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Shaw is the #4217 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 1,336 recorded since 1914.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shaw has been recorded 1,336 times among boys since 1914, currently ranked #4217 nationally and more common than 70% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2025.
- #4217 among boys today
- 1,336 born since 1914
- 2010s peak decade
- 70% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shaw is currently the #4217 boys' name in America, more common than 70% of boys - 1,336 born since 1914, peaking in the 2010s.
- #4217
- among boys today
- 1,336
- born since 1914
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 70%
- more common than other boys
Shaw vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4217
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 70% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Shaw was born in this single decade.
2020
Single peak year
39 babies were named Shaw in 2020 - its busiest year on record.
How Shaw compares
1,336 Top 26% higher than 74% 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
Shaw's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shaw | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,336 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 39 | 23 | 22,252 |
Shaw's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Shaw's full recorded timeline at 1990, 64% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 36% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1920, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2020 peak of 39 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Shaw at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2020
Current rank
#4,217
Active since
1914
Shaw popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2025
- Peak year (2020)
- 39
- Annual births at peak, across 112 years of records
Shaw popularity over time - girls
62 total births recorded since 1969 (Shaw as girls' name)
Shaw by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Shaw's strongest decade.
284 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Shaw births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 6
1910s
6 births
- 1920s 12
1920s
12 births
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1950s 16
1950s
16 births
- 1960s 71
1960s
71 births
- 1970s
1970s
195 births
- 1980s
1980s
179 births
- 1990s
1990s
186 births
- 2000s
2000s
205 births
- 2010s
2010s
284 births
- 2020s
2020s
177 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 284 births (21% of all-time use).
How Shaw 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 Shaw's total volume
Shaw vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Shaw by state
Where Shaw concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 26 | 1.9% |
| #2 | New York | | 5 | 0.4% |
California share of Shaw's total US births 1.9%
Even split
26 of 1,336 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shaw? ▼
Shaw has been given to 1,336 babies in the U.S. since 1914, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #4217 as of the latest data. 39 babies were born in 2020, its single highest year.
When was Shaw most popular? ▼
Shaw was most popular in the 2010s decade with 284 total births. The single peak year was 2020.
Where is Shaw most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shaw are California (26 births), New York (5 births).
How long has the name Shaw been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shaw since 1914 -- 112 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Shaw? ▼
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 Shaw's data
- Shaw's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (284 total births) through the 2020s (177) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Shaws (26 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 Shaw
Nearby Names Like Shaw
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shaw
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 Shaw side by side: Shaw vs Shawn Shaw vs Shane Shaw vs Shaun
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shaw
Chadwick #4216
13,276 births · Peak 1975
Erlin #4218
362 births · Peak 2022
Ritchie #4215
4,120 births · Peak 1964
Castle #4219
385 births · Peak 2018
Delvin #4214
5,328 births · Peak 1978
Javan #4220
3,593 births · Peak 2004
Quincey #4213
1,927 births · Peak 2002
Dimas #4221
1,834 births · Peak 1996
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, 1914–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shaw: #4217 Boys' Name - 1,336 Births, Peak 2020." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shaw. 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 Shaw 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.