Shaun
Boy name · #1944 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Shaun? In official American birth records, Shaun has been tracked continuously since 1935, giving it 90 years of documented American history.
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: Official national birth records.
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
How old is the name Shaun?
In official American birth records, the name Shaun first appeared in 1935 (over 90 years ago), when 8 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 90 years.
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: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.