Shanaya
Girl name · #1988 in 2025 · Uniqueness 78/100
Shanaya ranks #1988 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 97 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1382, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,557 girls born in 2025 was named Shanaya.
Babies named Shanaya per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 49-year story
Shanaya first appears in the Social Security records in 1976, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 234 girls were named Shanaya — good for #1098 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Shanaya against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Shanaya in class?
Shanaya scores 78 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Shanaya will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Shanaya is most common
Geography matters for names, and Shanaya is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Shanayas were TX (16), CA (15), FL (8), NY (7), OH (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Shanaya
Statistically, parents drawn to Shanaya tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sumaya, Sanaya, Saraya, Kalaya, and Zendaya.
SumayaSanayaSarayaKalayaZendayaInaayaHayaCatalaya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Shanaya | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 97 | #1981 |
| 2024 | 91 | #2099 |
| 2023 | 128 | #1627 |
| 2022 | 129 | #1638 |
| 2021 | 116 | #1760 |
| 2020 | 138 | #1533 |
| 2019 | 156 | #1429 |
| 2018 | 183 | #1262 |
| 2017 | 213 | #1159 |
| 2016 | 234 | #1098 |
| 2015 | 171 | #1382 |
| 2014 | 161 | #1416 |
| 2013 | 130 | #1642 |
| 2012 | 37 | #4047 |
| 2011 | 31 | #4568 |
| 2010 | 52 | #3159 |
| 2009 | 40 | #3870 |
| 2008 | 46 | #3529 |
| 2007 | 48 | #3428 |
| 2006 | 48 | #3368 |
| 2005 | 65 | #2607 |
| 2004 | 69 | #2446 |
| 2003 | 47 | #3131 |
| 2002 | 52 | #2854 |
| 2001 | 53 | #2766 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Shanaya a popular girl name?
Shanaya ranked #1988 among girls in 2025 with 97 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1382.
When was the name Shanaya most popular?
Shanaya peaked in 2016, when 234 American girls received the name (ranked #1098 that year). Since 2016 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Shanaya?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,557 newborn American girls was named Shanaya. It scores 78/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.