Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1997

Shy

Gender Unisex · 89% girls Rank 2025 #12,988
Rank 2025
#12,988
among girls
Babies in 2025
7
named Shy
How common
1 in 229,610
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1997
37 babies
All-time total
478
#12,995 all-time among girls
First recorded
1973
in Social Security records

Shy popularity over time

478 babies have been named Shy since 1973, 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
0.010.010.020.0218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

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 44 – 44 4 – #5,709
1980s 6 – 6 1 -86% #10,217
1990s 135 11 146 15 +2333% #3,610
2000s 144 15 159 16 +9% #5,468
2010s 65 5 70 7 -56% #8,565
2020s (to 2025) 33 20 53 9 +26% #11,053

The story of Shy

Shy is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #12,988 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1973, 478 American babies have been named Shy, about 89% girls and 11% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1997, when 37 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 Shy stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Shy?

The median living Shy is about 23 years old; half are between 15 and 29. An estimated 500 people named Shy are alive in the United States today.

median 23 020406080100

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

Shy 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 7 #12,988 – –
2024 – – – –
2023 9 #11,053 6 #12,040
2022 6 #15,061 9 #8,878
2021 6 #15,011 – –
2020 5 #17,172 5 #13,745
2019 – – 5 #13,838
2018 5 #17,782 – –
2017 8 #12,581 – –
2016 7 #14,145 – –
2015 8 #12,850 – –
2014 – – – –
2013 5 #18,890 – –
2012 14 #8,565 – –
2011 7 #14,634 – –
2010 11 #10,373 – –
2009 12 #9,900 – –
2008 13 #9,418 5 #14,301
2007 15 #8,461 – –
2006 12 #9,827 – –
2005 14 #8,268 – –
2004 7 #13,986 – –
2003 16 #7,163 – –
2002 16 #7,003 5 #12,227
2001 18 #6,276 5 #12,049
2000 21 #5,468 – –
1995 17 #5,652 – –
1990 7 #11,233 – –
1985 – – – –
1980 – – – –
1975 9 #6,388 – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Shy

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

  1. 1 Shy Love Shy Love American actress b. 1978 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Shy?

The median living Shy is about 23 years old. Half of all living Shys are between 15 and 29 years old.

How many people named Shy are alive today?

An estimated 500 people named Shy are alive in the United States, based on 478 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Shy in 2025?

Shy ranked #12,988 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Shy?

478 babies have been named Shy in the United States since 1973, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Shy most popular?

Shy peaked in 1997, when 37 newborns received the name.

Is Shy a boy or girl name?

Shy is used for both: about 89% of babies named Shy have been girls and 11% boys.

Is the name Shy rising or falling?

Shy is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Shy?

Well-known people named Shy include Shy Love (pornographic actor).

Names like Shy

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

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