How Many People Are Named Shan?
An estimated 2,799 people in the United States have the first name Shan. It is used for both genders, with 72.0% male. The average bearer is 44 years old, and Shan peaked in popularity in 1970 with 105 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Shan as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, state-by-state birth registrations, and, when available, a 2020 Census snapshot showing who had the name at that point in time. You can also check how many people share the full name Shan paired with any surname.
Estimated Living Americans
2,799
About 1 in 122,456 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Rare
Predicted Gender
Male
72.0% confidence
Average Age
44
years old
Peak Year
1970
105 births
Total Registered
3,088
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Shan
Shan is a genuinely unisex name, used for both males (72.0%) and females (28.0%). Out of 3,088 total births registered, 2,224 were male and 864 were female.
Shan as a male name
Ranked #9,704 in 2024
8 male births in 2024
Peak: 1969 (73 births)
Shan as a female name
Ranked #18,450 in 2016
5 female births in 2016
Peak: 1970 (45 births)
Shan in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 6,106 people with the first name Shan, which placed it at #3,420 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The estimated living count elsewhere on this page is different: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two figures are not expected to match exactly.
Read this section as a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The SSA charts elsewhere on this page are still the better way to see how the name rose, fell, or shifted across generations.
Gender in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, Shan was recorded as predominantly male. Out of 6,106 people with this name in that snapshot, 51.4% were male and 48.6% were female. That is less heavily male than the long-run SSA birth pattern on this page, which sits at 72.0% male.
Census Count
6,106
people with this name
Census Rank
#3,420
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
2.02
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Shan was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Asian and Pacific Islander (54.00%). The next largest recorded groups were White (27.59%) and Black (11.75%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Shan in the 2020 Census. They do not tell you the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
2020 Census demographic breakdown
Each row shows a recorded Census category for people with the first name Shan.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 54.00% | 3,296 |
| White | 27.59% | 1,684 |
| Black | 11.75% | 717 |
| Two or More Races | 3.57% | 218 |
| Hispanic | 2.39% | 146 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.70% | 43 |
The Census published separate sex and race/origin tables for first names, so their total counts can differ slightly for the same name. That is why the race section focuses on the demographic mix rather than repeating a second headline count.
Shan: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Shan span from the 1940s to the 2020s, covering 9 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1970s, when 779 babies were registered. Shan has declined significantly from its peak in the 1970s. Recent registrations are a fraction of what they were at the name's height.
Shan by Decade
How has Shan tracked across different eras? The table below groups all SSA birth registrations into 10-year periods, with separate male and female counts. The colored bar shows each decade's share relative to the peak.
Shan by State
Birth registrations for Shan span all 11 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in California, Texas, New York. The lowest are in Kentucky, North Carolina, Washington. On average, about 45 Shans were registered per state.
Shan + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Shan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Shan
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
Shan: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shan?
We estimate approximately 2,799 people named Shan are alive in the United States today. This is based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024, adjusted for mortality using CDC life tables. About 1 in 122,456 Americans share this first name.
Is Shan a common name?
Shan is classified as "Rare" and is more popular than 94.9% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 3,088 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Shan most popular?
Shan reached peak popularity in 1970, when 105 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Shan is approximately 44 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Shan in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 6,106 people with the first name Shan. That placed it at #3,420 in the published Census first-name tables, or 2.02 people per 100,000.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census number is a count of people with the name in 2020. The living estimate is a current model based on SSA birth records and survival rates, so it aims to estimate how many people with the name are alive now.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The popularity chart tracks birth registrations, not people currently alive. It shows how often Shan was given to babies from 1880 through 2024, which is why it is the best tool on the page for seeing long-run naming trends.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Shan?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Shan was recorded as predominantly male. The published split was 51.4% male and 48.6% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Shan?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Shan was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Asian and Pacific Islander (54.00%). The next largest recorded groups were White (27.59%) and Black (11.75%). These percentages describe the people who had the name in the 2020 Census, not the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census published separate first-name tables for sex and for race and Hispanic origin. Those totals can differ slightly for the same name, so the page uses them as two related snapshots rather than treating them as perfectly interchangeable counts.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name tables only include names that met the Bureau's publication rules. That means some names on this site will have SSA history but no published Census demographic snapshot.
Is Shan a male name?
Shan is predominantly male. 72.0% of people with this name are male. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Shan have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because a name can build up a large population over many decades. Shan peaked in 1970, and the average living bearer is about 44 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Shan Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Shan Smith, Shan Johnson, Shan Williams. You can also search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this data come from?
Our estimates use Social Security Administration birth records (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables broken down by sex. The U.S. population figure (342,754,338) is from the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate. Full methodology.
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