Shawanda: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

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	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–
1960s	189	19	–	#1,629
1970s	1,279	128	+577%	#810
1980s	1,001	100	-22%	#974
1990s	357	36	-64%	#1,777
2000s	27	3	-92%	#8,467
2010s	–	–	–	–
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–

Decade

Girls

Per year

Change

Best rank

1880s

–

1890s

–

1900s

–

1910s

–

1920s

–

1930s

–

1940s

–

1950s

–

1960s

189

–

#1,629

1970s

1,279

128

+577%

#810

1980s

1,001

100

-22%

#974

1990s

357

-64%

#1,777

2000s

-92%

#8,467

2010s

–

2020s (to 2025)

–

The story of Shawanda

Shawanda 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 1960, 2,853 American babies have been named Shawanda. Its peak came in 1977, when 186 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 Shawanda stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Shawanda?

The median living Shawanda is about 46 years old; half are between 40 and 50. An estimated 2,800 people named Shawanda 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.

Shawanda 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	5	#20,100
2006	–	–
2005	–	–
2004	5	#18,375
2003	–	–
2002	–	–
2001	5	#17,541
2000	12	#8,467
1995	23	#4,488
1990	68	#2,008
1985	108	#1,262
1980	153	#975
1975	139	#928
1970	60	#1,596
1965	12	#3,918
1960	6	#6,278
1955	–	–
1950	–	–
1945	–	–
1940	–	–
1935	–	–
1930	–	–
1925	–	–
1920	–	–
1915	–	–
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Shawanda?

The median living Shawanda is about 46 years old. Half of all living Shawandas are between 40 and 50 years old.

How many people named Shawanda are alive today?

An estimated 2,800 people named Shawanda are alive in the United States, based on 2,853 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Shawanda mean?

A female given name originating as a coinage, of African-American usage.

How popular is the name Shawanda in 2025?

Shawanda 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 Shawanda?

2,853 babies have been named Shawanda in the United States since 1960, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Shawanda most popular?

Shawanda peaked in 1977, when 186 newborns received the name.

Is Shawanda a boy or girl name?

Shawanda is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Shawanda rising or falling?

Shawanda has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Shawanda

Shawanda popularity over time

The story of Shawanda

How old are people named Shawanda?

Shawanda year by year

Frequently asked questions

Names like Shawanda