Shannon
A unisex given name transferred from the surname or place name (from the river); first used in the USA in early 20th century, and only recently in Ireland.
Every Shannon since 1881 — 348,161 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shannon
Shannon is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,405 in 2025 with 75 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 348,161 American babies have been named Shannon — about 85% girls and 15% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1970, when 16,118 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 Shannon stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shannon 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 | 75 | #2,405 | 41 | #3,031 |
| 2024 | 107 | #1,883 | 51 | #2,627 |
| 2023 | 96 | #2,047 | 43 | #2,941 |
| 2022 | 109 | #1,867 | 42 | #2,992 |
| 2021 | 122 | #1,708 | 64 | #2,218 |
| 2020 | 98 | #1,956 | 70 | #2,044 |
| 2019 | 147 | #1,493 | 69 | #2,106 |
| 2018 | 148 | #1,487 | 68 | #2,098 |
| 2017 | 174 | #1,339 | 79 | #1,869 |
| 2016 | 193 | #1,266 | 78 | #1,900 |
| 2015 | 249 | #1,063 | 82 | #1,824 |
| 2014 | 257 | #1,017 | 85 | #1,778 |
| 2013 | 278 | #917 | 97 | #1,601 |
| 2012 | 327 | #825 | 95 | #1,633 |
| 2011 | 394 | #707 | 101 | #1,564 |
| 2010 | 419 | #685 | 95 | #1,650 |
| 2009 | 543 | #562 | 144 | #1,248 |
| 2008 | 657 | #482 | 150 | #1,186 |
| 2007 | 741 | #437 | 162 | #1,119 |
| 2006 | 919 | #357 | 190 | #979 |
| 2005 | 1,053 | #303 | 194 | #913 |
| 2004 | 1,255 | #256 | 201 | #873 |
| 2003 | 1,447 | #227 | 206 | #844 |
| 2002 | 1,757 | #184 | 234 | #744 |
| 2001 | 1,906 | #171 | 210 | #801 |
| 2000 | 2,180 | #152 | 241 | #723 |
| 1995 | 4,733 | #73 | 375 | #524 |
| 1990 | 5,190 | #68 | 520 | #429 |
| 1985 | 7,714 | #41 | 689 | #295 |
| 1980 | 9,670 | #29 | 1,328 | #184 |
| 1975 | 9,370 | #21 | 2,530 | #101 |
| 1970 | 13,547 | #22 | 2,571 | #128 |
| 1965 | 2,570 | #144 | 938 | #243 |
| 1960 | 1,011 | #288 | 286 | #469 |
| 1955 | 643 | #336 | 157 | #587 |
| 1950 | 382 | #408 | 92 | #717 |
| 1945 | 119 | #686 | 52 | #882 |
| 1940 | 72 | #846 | 35 | #1,129 |
| 1935 | 32 | #1,300 | 29 | #1,271 |
| 1930 | 15 | #2,289 | 11 | #2,587 |
| 1925 | 13 | #2,755 | 25 | #1,528 |
| 1920 | — | — | 19 | #1,876 |
| 1915 | — | — | 30 | #1,210 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | 5 | #1,401 |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | 5 | #1,139 |
| 1885 | — | — | 6 | #924 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Shannon
- Shannon Lee Actor · b. 1969
- Shannon Lucid Astronaut · b. 1943
- Shannon Elizabeth Actor · b. 1973
- Shannon Tweed Actor · b. 1957
- Shannon Briggs Boxer · b. 1971
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Shannon mean?
A unisex given name transferred from the surname or place name (from the river); first used in the USA in early 20th century, and only recently in Ireland.
How popular is the name Shannon in 2025?
Shannon ranked #2,405 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 75 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Shannon?
348,161 babies have been named Shannon in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shannon most popular?
Shannon peaked in 1970, when 16,118 newborns received the name.
Is Shannon a boy or girl name?
Shannon is used for both: about 85% of babies named Shannon have been girls and 15% boys.
Is the name Shannon rising or falling?
Shannon is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Shannon?
Well-known people named Shannon include Shannon Lee (actor), Shannon Lucid (astronaut), Shannon Elizabeth (actor).