Shaquille: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,927

among boys · ↑1,038 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Shaquille · +54% vs 2024

How common

1 in 39,723

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1993

1,911 babies

All-time total

6,156

#1,630 all-time among boys

First recorded

1989

in Social Security records

Shaquille popularity over time

6,156 babies have been named Shaquille since 1989, 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

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	–	–	–	–	–	–
1980s	–	14	14	1	–	#3,993
1990s	387	4,814	5,201	520	+37050%	#181
2000s	–	248	248	25	-95%	#1,891
2010s	–	466	466	47	+88%	#2,292
2020s (to 2025)	–	227	227	38	-19%	#2,495

Where Shaquille is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	41	0.02	outside top 500
2027	39	0.02	outside top 500
2028	37	0.02	outside top 500
2029	36	0.02	outside top 500
2030	35	0.02	outside top 500

The story of Shaquille

Shaquille is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,927 in 2025 with 43 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1989, 6,156 American babies have been named Shaquille, about 94% boys and 6% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1993, when 1,911 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 Shaquille stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Shaquille?

The median living Shaquille is about 31 years old; half are between 30 and 32. An estimated 6,000 people named Shaquille are alive in the United States today.

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

Shaquille 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	–	–	43	#2,927
2024	–	–	28	#3,965
2023	–	–	28	#3,982
2022	–	–	32	#3,601
2021	–	–	44	#2,853
2020	–	–	52	#2,495
2019	–	–	47	#2,728
2018	–	–	55	#2,412
2017	–	–	48	#2,629
2016	–	–	53	#2,431
2015	–	–	55	#2,382
2014	–	–	58	#2,292
2013	–	–	53	#2,394
2012	–	–	45	#2,708
2011	–	–	32	#3,420
2010	–	–	20	#4,819
2009	–	–	8	#9,720
2008	–	–	11	#7,619
2007	–	–	7	#10,719
2006	–	–	18	#5,037
2005	–	–	17	#4,999
2004	–	–	24	#3,838
2003	–	–	34	#2,917
2002	–	–	30	#3,081
2001	–	–	43	#2,339
2000	–	–	56	#1,891
1995	20	#4,991	494	#457
1990	35	#3,215	92	#1,127
1985	–	–	–	–
1980	–	–	–	–
1975	–	–	–	–
1970	–	–	–	–
1965	–	–	–	–
1960	–	–	–	–
1955	–	–	–	–
1950	–	–	–	–
1945	–	–	–	–
1940	–	–	–	–
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Shaquille

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

1 Shaquille O'Neal American basketball player and analyst (born 1972) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Shaquille?

The median living Shaquille is about 31 years old. Half of all living Shaquilles are between 30 and 32 years old.

How many people named Shaquille are alive today?

An estimated 6,000 people named Shaquille are alive in the United States, based on 6,156 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Shaquille mean?

A fanciful spelling of Arabic شَكِيل (šakīl, “handsome”).

How popular is the name Shaquille in 2025?

Shaquille ranked #2,927 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 43 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Shaquille?

6,156 babies have been named Shaquille in the United States since 1989, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Shaquille most popular?

Shaquille peaked in 1993, when 1,911 newborns received the name.

Is Shaquille a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Shaquille rising or falling?

Shaquille is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Shaquille become more popular?

Shaquille is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 35 boys named Shaquille in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Shaquille?

Well-known people named Shaquille include Shaquille O'Neal (basketball player).

Names like Shaquille

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

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