Shane
Anglicized form of the Northern Irish pronunciation of Irish Seán, from Old French Jehan, from Latin Johannes, variant of Ioannes, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs)…
Every Shane since 1933 — 196,166 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shane
Shane is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #636 in 2025 with 439 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1933, 196,166 American babies have been named Shane. Its peak came in 1973, when 5,931 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
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 Shane stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shane 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 | — | — | 439 | #636 |
| 2024 | 7 | #13,267 | 475 | #602 |
| 2023 | 11 | #9,511 | 528 | #555 |
| 2022 | 10 | #10,290 | 582 | #511 |
| 2021 | 20 | #6,141 | 598 | #494 |
| 2020 | 15 | #7,516 | 569 | #507 |
| 2019 | 13 | #8,532 | 739 | #424 |
| 2018 | 17 | #7,059 | 875 | #372 |
| 2017 | 18 | #6,768 | 916 | #359 |
| 2016 | 17 | #7,190 | 1,068 | #325 |
| 2015 | 17 | #7,223 | 1,217 | #295 |
| 2014 | 16 | #7,586 | 1,298 | #277 |
| 2013 | 11 | #10,145 | 1,398 | #257 |
| 2012 | 17 | #7,413 | 1,480 | #244 |
| 2011 | 25 | #5,523 | 1,643 | #213 |
| 2010 | 24 | #5,757 | 1,876 | #198 |
| 2009 | 33 | #4,557 | 2,132 | #178 |
| 2008 | 29 | #5,119 | 2,307 | #174 |
| 2007 | 34 | #4,461 | 2,241 | #184 |
| 2006 | 28 | #5,076 | 2,277 | #179 |
| 2005 | 33 | #4,254 | 2,459 | #166 |
| 2004 | 34 | #4,158 | 2,476 | #165 |
| 2003 | 22 | #5,569 | 2,816 | #144 |
| 2002 | 35 | #3,795 | 3,030 | #130 |
| 2001 | 27 | #4,548 | 3,116 | #128 |
| 2000 | 28 | #4,382 | 3,275 | #116 |
| 1995 | 57 | #2,340 | 3,630 | #103 |
| 1990 | 71 | #1,951 | 5,274 | #73 |
| 1985 | 88 | #1,438 | 4,549 | #68 |
| 1980 | 67 | #1,699 | 4,365 | #69 |
| 1975 | 108 | #1,090 | 5,209 | #57 |
| 1970 | 97 | #1,189 | 4,451 | #64 |
| 1965 | 23 | #2,594 | 1,025 | #228 |
| 1960 | 16 | #3,190 | 532 | #337 |
| 1955 | 18 | #2,707 | 305 | #420 |
| 1950 | 6 | #5,206 | 28 | #1,388 |
| 1945 | — | — | 9 | #2,556 |
| 1940 | — | — | 8 | #2,832 |
| 1935 | — | — | 8 | #2,913 |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Shane
- Shane Black Film director · b. 1961
- Shane McMahon Businessperson · b. 1970
- Shane West Actor · b. 1978
- Shane Filan Singer · b. 1979
- Shane Mosley Boxer · b. 1971
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Shane mean?
Anglicized form of the Northern Irish pronunciation of Irish Seán, from Old French Jehan, from Latin Johannes, variant of Ioannes, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yōḥānān, literally “God is gracious”).
How popular is the name Shane in 2025?
Shane ranked #636 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 439 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Shane?
196,166 babies have been named Shane in the United States since 1933, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shane most popular?
Shane peaked in 1973, when 5,931 newborns received the name.
Is Shane a boy or girl name?
Shane is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Shane rising or falling?
Shane is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Shane?
Well-known people named Shane include Shane Black (film director), Shane McMahon (businessperson), Shane West (actor).