Total births
2,188
Unisex name · since 1951
Shaye
2,188 babies named Shaye in U.S. Social Security records since 1951, with the highest year being 1998. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #15589
- among girls today
- 2,188
- born since 1951
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 12%
- more common than other girls
Shaye currently ranks #15589 among unisex names in America, with 2,188 babies recorded since 1951.
Shaye has 2,188 recorded births among girls since 1951, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #15589 as of the latest data, more common than 12% of girls, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1951 to 2025.
- #15589 among girls today
- 2,188 born since 1951
- 1990s peak decade
- 12% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shaye is currently the #15589 unisex name in America, more common than 12% of girls - 2,188 born since 1951, peaking in the 1990s.
- #15589
- among girls today
- 2,188
- born since 1951
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 12%
- more common than other girls
Shaye vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#15589
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 12% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Shaye was born in this single decade.
1998
Single peak year
128 babies were named Shaye in 1998 - its busiest year on record.
How Shaye compares
2,188 Top 21% higher than 79% 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
Shaye's all-time total is 6x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shaye | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,188 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 128 | 48 | 19,840 |
Shaye's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Shaye's SSA record in two at 1992 and the more recent half accounts for 70% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 30%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1953, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1998 peak of 128, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Shaye at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1998
Current rank
#15,589
Active since
1951
Shaye popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1951–2025
- Peak year (1998)
- 128
- Annual births at peak, across 75 years of records
Shaye popularity over time - boys
674 total births recorded since 1962 (Shaye as boys' name)
Shaye by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Shaye's strongest decade.
734 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Shaye births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 27
1950s
27 births
- 1960s 63
1960s
63 births
- 1970s 197
1970s
197 births
- 1980s 265
1980s
265 births
- 1990s
1990s
734 births
- 2000s
2000s
603 births
- 2010s 222
2010s
222 births
- 2020s 77
2020s
77 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 734 births (34% of all-time use).
How Shaye 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 Shaye's total volume
Shaye vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shaye by state
Where Shaye concentrates geographically, total births since 1951
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 147 | 6.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 66 | 3.0% |
| #3 | New York | | 33 | 1.5% |
| #4 | Florida | | 23 | 1.1% |
| #5 | New Jersey | | 23 | 1.1% |
| #6 | Arizona | | 22 | 1.0% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 16 | 0.7% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 15 | 0.7% |
California share of Shaye's total US births 6.7%
Even split
147 of 2,188 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 16 reporting states.
Shaye appears in 16 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shaye? ▼
Since 1951, Social Security records show 2,188 babies named Shaye. Today it holds rank #15589 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1998, with 128 births.
When was Shaye most popular? ▼
Shaye was most popular in the 1990s decade with 734 total births. The single peak year was 1998.
Where is Shaye most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shaye are California (147 births), Texas (66 births), New York (33 births).
Is Shaye a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Shaye is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 2,188 births, and as a boy's name it has 674 births.
How long has the name Shaye been used? ▼
Shaye has been recorded in Social Security data since 1951, spanning 75 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Shaye? ▼
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 Shaye's data
- Shaye's decade-level peak was the 1990s (734 total births); usage has since declined to 77 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Shayes (147 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 Shaye
Nearby Names Like Shaye
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shaye
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 Shaye side by side: Shaye vs Sharon Shaye vs Shannon Shaye vs Shawna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shaye
Torrie #15588
2,878 births · Peak 1977
Kimberlie #15590
3,678 births · Peak 1970
Tacey #15587
305 births · Peak 1970
Denisa #15591
994 births · Peak 1964
Kita #15586
176 births · Peak 1977
Mellisa #15592
4,575 births · Peak 1979
Staci #15585
25,480 births · Peak 1971
Graceanne #15593
460 births · Peak 2002
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, 1951–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shaye: #15589 Unisex Name - 2,188 Births, Peak 1998." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shaye. 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 Shaye 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.