Shea
Anglicised from Irish Ó Séaghdha.
Every Shea since 1950 — 21,102 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shea
Shea is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,159 in 2025 with 201 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1950, 21,102 American babies have been named Shea — about 60% girls and 40% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2005, when 531 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
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 Shea stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shea 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 | 201 | #1,159 | 111 | #1,552 |
| 2024 | 201 | #1,190 | 120 | #1,498 |
| 2023 | 247 | #1,030 | 144 | #1,325 |
| 2022 | 245 | #1,046 | 124 | #1,465 |
| 2021 | 242 | #1,044 | 138 | #1,347 |
| 2020 | 207 | #1,148 | 112 | #1,510 |
| 2019 | 205 | #1,167 | 124 | #1,418 |
| 2018 | 195 | #1,213 | 117 | #1,488 |
| 2017 | 184 | #1,286 | 127 | #1,392 |
| 2016 | 234 | #1,101 | 102 | #1,602 |
| 2015 | 191 | #1,278 | 100 | #1,611 |
| 2014 | 206 | #1,192 | 106 | #1,524 |
| 2013 | 197 | #1,226 | 105 | #1,535 |
| 2012 | 171 | #1,373 | 127 | #1,345 |
| 2011 | 172 | #1,347 | 148 | #1,197 |
| 2010 | 199 | #1,220 | 123 | #1,374 |
| 2009 | 252 | #1,034 | 159 | #1,151 |
| 2008 | 278 | #967 | 133 | #1,315 |
| 2007 | 293 | #925 | 167 | #1,095 |
| 2006 | 296 | #898 | 189 | #984 |
| 2005 | 348 | #764 | 183 | #957 |
| 2004 | 329 | #785 | 195 | #894 |
| 2003 | 318 | #778 | 205 | #847 |
| 2002 | 294 | #799 | 221 | #783 |
| 2001 | 327 | #734 | 187 | #862 |
| 2000 | 321 | #725 | 163 | #938 |
| 1995 | 260 | #774 | 187 | #784 |
| 1990 | 228 | #863 | 221 | #683 |
| 1985 | 193 | #844 | 234 | #573 |
| 1980 | 154 | #963 | 115 | #822 |
| 1975 | 118 | #1,025 | 110 | #794 |
| 1970 | 114 | #1,073 | 71 | #958 |
| 1965 | 21 | #2,735 | 14 | #2,254 |
| 1960 | 13 | #3,658 | 10 | #2,843 |
| 1955 | 8 | #4,680 | — | — |
| 1950 | 7 | #4,674 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Shea
- Shea Whigham Actor · b. 1969
- Shea Weber Hockey player · b. 1985
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Shea mean?
Anglicised from Irish Ó Séaghdha.
How popular is the name Shea in 2025?
Shea ranked #1,159 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 201 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Shea?
21,102 babies have been named Shea in the United States since 1950, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shea most popular?
Shea peaked in 2005, when 531 newborns received the name.
Is Shea a boy or girl name?
Shea is used for both: about 60% of babies named Shea have been girls and 40% boys.
Is the name Shea rising or falling?
Shea is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Shea?
Well-known people named Shea include Shea Whigham (actor), Shea Weber (hockey player).