Boys' name · since 1925

Shun

Since 1925, U.S. Social Security records show 909 babies named Shun, peaking in 1980. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

909
total births
1925–2023
years on record
1970s
peak decade
31%
born in that decade

Shun sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 909 recorded since 1925.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shun has been recorded 909 times among boys since 1925, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, 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 1925 to 2023.

  • 909 total births
  • 1925–2023 years on record
  • 1970s peak decade
  • 31% born in that decade

Data updated Jun 2026

The verdict

909 boys have been named Shun since 1925, peaking in the 1970s, last recorded in 2023.

909
total births
1925–2023
years on record
1970s
peak decade
31%
born in that decade
1970s
Peak decade

31% of everyone ever named Shun was born in this single decade.

1980
Single peak year

41 babies were named Shun in 1980 - its busiest year on record.

Shun's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Shun's full recorded timeline at 1993, 38% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 62% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1925, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1980 peak of 41 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Shun at a glance

Last recorded 2023

Total births

909

Since 1925

99 years of records

Peak year

1980

41 births that year

Strongest decade: 1970s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 2023

Active since

1925

Recorded for 99 years

Last year on file: 2023

Shun popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1925–2023

Last recorded 2023
Peak year (1980)
41
Annual births at peak, across 99 years of records
01020304050 192519721980198819962004201220212023 5

Shun popularity over time - girls

30 total births recorded since 1969 (Shun as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 30 births
45678910 19691970197419751976 5

Shun by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1970s was Shun's strongest decade.

280 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.

Shun births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1970s at 280 births (31% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of June 2026

How Shun 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 Shun's total volume

Shun vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Shun vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year Shun
Shun vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Shun by state

Where Shun concentrates geographically, total births since 1925

Geographically diffuse
Top 7 states by recorded births for the name Shun
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Illinois
17 1.9%
#2 Tennessee
17 1.9%
#3 Texas
12 1.3%
#4 Georgia
10 1.1%
#5 Mississippi
10 1.1%
#6 California
6 0.7%
#7 Louisiana
6 0.7%
Illinois share of Shun's total US births 1.9%
Even split

17 of 909 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Shun?
909 babies have been named Shun since 1925. It was last recorded in 2023. The peak year was 1980 with 41 births.
When was Shun most popular?
Shun was most popular in the 1970s decade with 280 total births. The single peak year was 1980.
Where is Shun most popular?
The top states for the name Shun are Illinois (17 births), Tennessee (17 births), Texas (12 births).
How long has the name Shun been used?
The SSA has tracked Shun since 1925 -- 99 years through the most recent 2023 data.
What names are similar to Shun?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Shulem, Shubh, Shuaib, Shubham, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Shun's data

  • Shun's decade-level peak was the 1970s (280 total births); usage has since declined to 20 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Illinois records the most Shuns (17 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Illinois 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.

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, 1925–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shun: Baby Name Since 1925 - 909 Births, Peak 1980." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shun. 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 Shun 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.