Shanaya
Girl name · #1988 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Shanaya? In official American birth records, Shanaya has been tracked continuously since 1976, giving it 49 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
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?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Shanaya is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". 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
State-level data for Shanaya 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 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
How old is the name Shanaya?
In official American birth records, the name Shanaya first appeared in 1976 (over 49 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 49 years.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.