Total births
750
Boys' name · since 1954
Shem
750 babies named Shem in U.S. Social Security records since 1954, with the highest year being 1976. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #6540
- among boys today
- 750
- born since 1954
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 54%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Shem is the #6540 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 750 recorded since 1954.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shem has been recorded 750 times among boys since 1954, currently ranked #6540 nationally and more common than 54% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1954 to 2025.
- #6540 among boys today
- 750 born since 1954
- 1970s peak decade
- 54% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Shem is currently the #6540 boys' name in America, more common than 54% of boys - 750 born since 1954, peaking in the 1970s.
- #6540
- among boys today
- 750
- born since 1954
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 54%
- more common than other boys
Shem vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6540
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 54% of names given to boys today.
1970s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Shem was born in this single decade.
1976
Single peak year
23 babies were named Shem in 1976 - its busiest year on record.
How Shem compares
750 Top 36% higher than 64% 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
Shem's all-time total is 104% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shem | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 750 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 23 | 23 | 22,252 |
Shem's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Shem's SSA record in two at 1995 and the more recent half accounts for 49% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 51%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1954, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1976 peak of 23, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Shem at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1976
Current rank
#6,540
Active since
1954
Shem popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1954–2025
- Peak year (1976)
- 23
- Annual births at peak, across 72 years of records
Shem popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1970 (Shem as girls' name)
Shem by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Shem's strongest decade.
156 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Shem births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1960s 36
1960s
36 births
- 1970s
1970s
156 births
- 1980s
1980s
123 births
- 1990s
1990s
110 births
- 2000s
2000s
113 births
- 2010s
2010s
130 births
- 2020s
2020s
77 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 156 births (21% of all-time use).
How Shem 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 Shem's total volume
Shem vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Shem by state
Where Shem concentrates geographically, total births since 1954
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 15 | 2.0% |
| #2 | Utah | | 10 | 1.3% |
| #3 | California | | 5 | 0.7% |
New York share of Shem's total US births 2.0%
Even split
15 of 750 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shem? ▼
Since 1954, Social Security records show 750 babies named Shem. Today it holds rank #6540 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1976, with 23 births.
When was Shem most popular? ▼
Shem was most popular in the 1970s decade with 156 total births. The single peak year was 1976.
Where is Shem most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shem are New York (15 births), Utah (10 births), California (5 births).
How long has the name Shem been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shem since 1954 -- 72 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Shem? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sherman, Sheldon, Shelby, Shelton, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Shem's data
- Shem's usage has stayed within range of its 1970s decade-level peak (156 total births) through the 2020s (77) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Shems (15 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Shem
Nearby Names Like Shem
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shem
Sherman Boy
#4701 39,190 births
Sheldon Boy
#1940 36,676 births
Shelby Boy
#2595 16,449 births
Shelton Boy
#4707 11,973 births
Shea Boy
#1497 8,537 births
Compare Shem side by side: Shem vs Sherman Shem vs Sheldon Shem vs Shelby
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shem
Anjel #6539
1,188 births · Peak 2003
Devine #6541
835 births · Peak 1992
Keane #6538
1,486 births · Peak 2007
Devlin #6542
3,247 births · Peak 2007
Cuauhtemoc #6537
1,239 births · Peak 2007
Jeanpaul #6543
1,767 births · Peak 1979
Mikkel #6536
882 births · Peak 2004
Tovia #6544
285 births · Peak 2025
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, 1954–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shem: #6540 Boys' Name - 750 Births, Peak 1976." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shem. 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 Shem 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.