Shana
Two sources converge here: Yiddish sheyn, meaning lovely, and the Irish name Shane, a form of John, given a feminine ending.
Shana in 2025
Shana was given to 25 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 9,037th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 132,614 babies born.
The history of Shana
Shana reached its highest point in 1984, when 1,569 babies were given the name, ranking 349th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 343rd, in 1977.
Across the 89 years of records since 1937, 29,748 babies have been named Shana. Half of them were born before 1981, which places the name's centre of gravity with Millennials.
Shana by decade
| Decade | Babies named Shana | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 13 | 5,573 |
| 1940s | 90 | 4,075 |
| 1950s | 313 | 2,348 |
| 1960s | 2,905 | 549 |
| 1970s | 10,282 | 343 |
| 1980s | 10,011 | 349 |
| 1990s | 4,431 | 672 |
| 2000s | 1,188 | 1,894 |
| 2010s | 367 | 5,347 |
| 2020s | 148 | 7,429 |
Where Shana is heading
Shana has fallen 32% over the past decade, from 37 babies in 2015 to 25 in 2025.
That is less than 5% of its 1984 peak — Shana is now a rare name in the United States.
Names like Shana
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Shana.