Shaw
Every Shaw since 1914 — 1,398 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shaw
Shaw is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,836 in 2025 with 21 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1914, 1,398 American babies have been named Shaw. Its peak came in 2016, when 39 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Shaw stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shaw 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 | 6 | #14,682 | 21 | #4,836 |
| 2024 | 5 | #17,320 | 25 | #4,304 |
| 2023 | — | — | 26 | #4,198 |
| 2022 | — | — | 34 | #3,453 |
| 2021 | — | — | 32 | #3,567 |
| 2020 | — | — | 39 | #3,022 |
| 2019 | 5 | #17,625 | 31 | #3,623 |
| 2018 | — | — | 31 | #3,593 |
| 2017 | — | — | 28 | #3,874 |
| 2016 | 6 | #15,957 | 33 | #3,425 |
| 2015 | 5 | #18,729 | 31 | #3,578 |
| 2014 | 9 | #11,811 | 25 | #4,111 |
| 2013 | — | — | 29 | #3,647 |
| 2012 | — | — | 36 | #3,163 |
| 2011 | — | — | 25 | #4,086 |
| 2010 | — | — | 15 | #5,992 |
| 2009 | — | — | 18 | #5,278 |
| 2008 | — | — | 19 | #5,035 |
| 2007 | — | — | 25 | #4,101 |
| 2006 | — | — | 31 | #3,440 |
| 2005 | 6 | #16,135 | 14 | #5,832 |
| 2004 | — | — | 15 | #5,448 |
| 2003 | — | — | 13 | #5,831 |
| 2002 | — | — | 23 | #3,764 |
| 2001 | — | — | 25 | #3,494 |
| 2000 | — | — | 22 | #3,739 |
| 1995 | — | — | 19 | #3,534 |
| 1990 | — | — | 19 | #3,289 |
| 1985 | — | — | 22 | #2,417 |
| 1980 | — | — | 10 | #4,087 |
| 1975 | — | — | 23 | #2,054 |
| 1970 | — | — | 18 | #2,202 |
| 1965 | — | — | 8 | #3,210 |
| 1960 | — | — | 8 | #3,298 |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | 5 | #4,879 |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Shaw in 2025?
Shaw ranked #4,836 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 21 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Shaw?
1,398 babies have been named Shaw in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shaw most popular?
Shaw peaked in 2016, when 39 newborns received the name.
Is Shaw a boy or girl name?
Shaw is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Shaw rising or falling?
Shaw has been roughly stable over the past decade.