Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1970

Shannan

Gender Unisex · 94% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Shannan
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1970
305 babies
All-time total
5,479
#2,517 all-time among girls
First recorded
1950
in Social Security records

Shannan popularity over time

5,479 babies have been named Shannan since 1950, 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
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

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 82 – 82 8 – #3,083
1960s 846 52 898 90 +995% #588
1970s 2,161 191 2,352 235 +162% #612
1980s 1,204 57 1,261 126 -46% #839
1990s 669 17 686 69 -46% #1,624
2000s 182 – 182 18 -73% #3,927
2010s 18 – 18 2 -90% #16,473
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Shannan

Shannan 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 1950, 5,479 American babies have been named Shannan, about 94% girls and 6% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1970, when 305 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 Shannan stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Shannan?

The median living Shannan is about 48 years old; half are between 40 and 54. An estimated 5,200 people named Shannan are alive in the United States today.

median 48 020406080100

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

Shannan 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 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 6 #16,547 – –
2011 6 #16,473 – –
2010 6 #16,659 – –
2009 7 #14,994 – –
2008 11 #10,682 – –
2007 17 #7,684 – –
2006 15 #8,177 – –
2005 13 #8,793 – –
2004 14 #8,171 – –
2003 18 #6,533 – –
2002 25 #4,880 – –
2001 33 #3,927 – –
2000 29 #4,276 – –
1995 65 #2,096 – –
1990 62 #2,124 – –
1985 132 #1,102 – –
1980 187 #839 11 #3,808
1975 172 #803 21 #2,193
1970 283 #612 22 #1,933
1965 59 #1,444 6 #3,864
1960 20 #2,803 – –
1955 6 #5,726 – –
1950 5 #5,979 – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Shannan?

The median living Shannan is about 48 years old. Half of all living Shannans are between 40 and 54 years old.

How many people named Shannan are alive today?

An estimated 5,200 people named Shannan are alive in the United States, based on 5,479 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Shannan in 2025?

Shannan 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 Shannan?

5,479 babies have been named Shannan in the United States since 1950, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Shannan most popular?

Shannan peaked in 1970, when 305 newborns received the name.

Is Shannan a boy or girl name?

Shannan is used for both: about 94% of babies named Shannan have been girls and 6% boys.

Is the name Shannan rising or falling?

Shannan has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Shannan

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

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