Shaun
Boy name · #1944 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 79 baby boys were named Shaun, placing it at #1944 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #767, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 22,785 boys born in 2025 was named Shaun.
The 90-year story
Shaun first appears in the Social Security records in 1935, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1978, when 6,105 boys were named Shaun — good for #52 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Babies named Shaun per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Shaun against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Shaun in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Shaun is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Shaun will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Shaun is most common
State-level data for Shaun is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Shaun
Statistically, parents drawn to Shaun tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Clinton, Antwan, Rustin, Clifton, and Jamin.
ClintonAntwanRustinCliftonJaminClintReggieJed
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Shaun | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 79 | #1942 |
| 2024 | 111 | #1563 |
| 2023 | 120 | #1489 |
| 2022 | 122 | #1479 |
| 2021 | 149 | #1273 |
| 2020 | 172 | #1134 |
| 2019 | 193 | #1057 |
| 2018 | 206 | #1005 |
| 2017 | 243 | #885 |
| 2016 | 250 | #876 |
| 2015 | 311 | #767 |
| 2014 | 325 | #736 |
| 2013 | 331 | #709 |
| 2012 | 391 | #620 |
| 2011 | 428 | #587 |
| 2010 | 541 | #483 |
| 2009 | 554 | #492 |
| 2008 | 672 | #432 |
| 2007 | 770 | #393 |
| 2006 | 905 | #342 |
| 2005 | 722 | #397 |
| 2004 | 660 | #398 |
| 2003 | 687 | #381 |
| 2002 | 635 | #401 |
| 2001 | 654 | #390 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Shaun a popular boy name?
Shaun ranked #1944 among boys in 2025 with 79 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #767.
When was the name Shaun most popular?
Shaun peaked in 1978, when 6,105 American boys received the name (ranked #52 that year). Since 1978 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Shaun?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 22,785 newborn American boys was named Shaun. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very 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.