Shanequa
A female given name originating as a coinage, of African-American usage, variant of Shaniqua.
Every Shanequa since 1971 — 1,874 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shanequa
Shanequa is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1971, 1,874 American babies have been named Shanequa. Its peak came in 1991, when 284 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Shanequa stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shanequa year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | 8 | #12,009 |
| 2001 | 6 | #15,029 |
| 2000 | 5 | #17,167 |
| 1995 | 62 | #2,180 |
| 1990 | 175 | #1,032 |
| 1985 | 53 | #2,039 |
| 1980 | 40 | #2,428 |
| 1975 | 24 | #3,037 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Shanequa mean?
A female given name originating as a coinage, of African-American usage, variant of Shaniqua.
How popular is the name Shanequa in 2025?
Shanequa did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Shanequa?
1,874 babies have been named Shanequa in the United States since 1971, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shanequa most popular?
Shanequa peaked in 1991, when 284 newborns received the name.
Is Shanequa a boy or girl name?
Shanequa is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Shanequa rising or falling?
Shanequa has been roughly stable over the past decade.