Shia
Boy name · #1360 in 2025 · Uniqueness 65/100
Shia ranks #1360 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 138 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1983, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,043 boys born in 2025 was named Shia.
The 65-year story
Shia first appears in the Social Security records in 1960, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 171 babies and a rank of #1196. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Shia per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Shia against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Shia in class?
Shia scores 65 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Shia is most common
Geography matters for names, and Shia is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Shias were NY (67), CA (13), CO (7), TX (7), FL (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Shia
Statistically, parents drawn to Shia tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Yahia, Shaya, Shaurya, Sora, and Rudra.
YahiaShayaShauryaSoraRudraSaifKotaScout
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Shia | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 138 | #1358 |
| 2024 | 171 | #1196 |
| 2023 | 159 | #1234 |
| 2022 | 146 | #1300 |
| 2021 | 153 | #1245 |
| 2020 | 130 | #1361 |
| 2019 | 85 | #1805 |
| 2018 | 72 | #2017 |
| 2017 | 99 | #1612 |
| 2016 | 72 | #1991 |
| 2015 | 73 | #1983 |
| 2014 | 93 | #1657 |
| 2013 | 71 | #1942 |
| 2012 | 70 | #2003 |
| 2011 | 104 | #1524 |
| 2010 | 96 | #1626 |
| 2009 | 115 | #1453 |
| 2008 | 83 | #1792 |
| 2007 | 40 | #2920 |
| 2006 | 35 | #3083 |
| 2005 | 31 | #3241 |
| 2004 | 20 | #4264 |
| 2003 | 25 | #3528 |
| 2002 | 18 | #4322 |
| 2001 | 15 | #4890 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Shia a popular boy name?
Shia ranked #1360 among boys in 2025 with 138 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1983.
When was the name Shia most popular?
Shia peaked in 2024, when 171 American boys received the name (ranked #1196 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Shia?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,043 newborn American boys was named Shia. It scores 65/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.