Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2009

Shah

Gender Boy · 2% girls Rank 2025 #7,121
Rank 2025
#7,121
among boys · ↓979 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
12
named Shah
How common
1 in 142,340
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2009
22 babies
All-time total
440
#8,633 all-time among boys
First recorded
1972
in Social Security records

Shah popularity over time

440 babies have been named Shah since 1972, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s – – – – – –
1970s 5 40 45 5 – #3,800
1980s – 18 18 2 -60% #6,121
1990s – 79 79 8 +339% #5,130
2000s – 106 106 11 +34% #4,568
2010s 5 108 113 11 +7% #5,613
2020s (to 2025) – 79 79 13 +17% #6,142

The story of Shah

Shah is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #7,121 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1972, 440 American babies have been named Shah. Its peak came in 2009, when 22 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Shah stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Shah?

The median living Shah is about 17 years old; half are between 9 and 28. An estimated 400 people named Shah are alive in the United States today.

median 17 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Shah year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 12 #7,121
2024 – – 15 #6,142
2023 – – 14 #6,461
2022 – – 11 #7,680
2021 – – 14 #6,289
2020 – – 13 #6,567
2019 – – 7 #10,630
2018 – – 11 #7,540
2017 – – 9 #8,727
2016 – – 10 #8,068
2015 5 #18,706 11 #7,439
2014 – – 11 #7,468
2013 – – 16 #5,613
2012 – – 14 #6,255
2011 – – 11 #7,423
2010 – – 8 #9,536
2009 – – 22 #4,568
2008 – – 5 #14,277
2007 – – 11 #7,500
2006 – – 6 #11,824
2005 – – 12 #6,560
2004 – – 11 #6,903
2003 – – 6 #10,658
2002 – – 13 #5,667
2001 – – 12 #5,955
2000 – – 8 #8,088
1995 – – 10 #5,839
1990 – – 5 #9,283
1985 – – – –
1980 – – 6 #6,121
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Shah

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan Indian actor (born 1965) Contemporary
  2. 2 Shah Jahan Shah Jahan Mughal emperor from 1628 to 1658 1592–1666 · 16th century
  3. 3 Shah Alam II Shah Alam II Mughal emperor (r. 1760–1788, 1788–1806) 1728–1806 · 18th century
  4. 4 Shah Rukh Shah Rukh Ruler of the Timurid Empire from 1405 to 1447 1377–1447 · Medieval
  5. 5 Shah Waliullah Dehlawi Indian Muslim scholar (1703–1762) 18th century
  6. 6 Shah Jahan II Shah Jahan II Mughal emperor in 1719 1696–1719 · 17th century
  7. 7 Shah Jahan III Shah Jahan III Mughal emperor from 1759 to 1760 1711–1772 · 18th century
  8. 8 Shah Shuja Shah Shuja Mughal prince and Subahdar of Bengal (1616–1661) 17th century
  9. 9 Shah Shujah Durrani Shah Shujah Durrani Emir of the Durrani Empire 1785–1842 · 18th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Shah, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Shah?

The median living Shah is about 17 years old. Half of all living Shahs are between 9 and 28 years old.

How many people named Shah are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Shah are alive in the United States, based on 440 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Shah in 2025?

Shah ranked #7,121 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Shah?

440 babies have been named Shah in the United States since 1972, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Shah most popular?

Shah peaked in 2009, when 22 newborns received the name.

Is Shah a boy or girl name?

Shah is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 98% of babies with the name.

Is the name Shah rising or falling?

Shah is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Shah?

Well-known people named Shah include Shah Rukh Khan (actor), Shah Jahan (politician), Shah Alam II (politician).

Names like Shah

Names that sound and feel close to Shah: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Shah with similar names → More names starting with S →