How Many People Are Named Shem?
An estimated 716 people in the United States have the first name Shem. It is predominantly male (99.3%). The average bearer is 31 years old, and Shem peaked in popularity in 1976 with 23 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Shem 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 Shem paired with any surname.
Estimated Living Americans
716
About 1 in 478,707 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Very Rare
Predicted Gender
Male
99.3% confidence
Average Age
31
years old
Peak Year
1976
23 births
Total Registered
745
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Shem
Shem is almost exclusively a male name. Out of 745 total births registered, 99.3% were male.
Shem as a male name
Ranked #6,750 in 2024
13 male births in 2024
Peak: 1976 (23 births)
Shem as a female name
Ranked #9,096 in 1970
5 female births in 1970
Peak: 1970 (5 births)
Shem in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 858 people with the first name Shem, which placed it at #13,898 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, Shem was recorded as predominantly male. Out of 858 people with this name in that snapshot, 94.9% were male and 5.1% were female. That is very close to the long-run birth pattern in SSA records, where the name is male 99.3% of the time.
Census Count
858
people with this name
Census Rank
#13,898
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
0.28
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Shem was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (44.05%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (33.80%) and Asian and Pacific Islander (11.54%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Shem 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 Shem.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| White | 44.05% | 374 |
| Black | 33.80% | 287 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 11.54% | 98 |
| Hispanic | 7.42% | 63 |
| Two or More Races | 3.18% | 27 |
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.
Shem: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Shem span from the 1950s to the 2020s, covering 8 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1970s, when 161 babies were registered. While Shem is less common than at its peak in the 1970s, it remains a well-established name with steady registrations.
Shem by Decade
How has Shem 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.
Shem by State
Birth registrations for Shem span all 3 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in New York, Utah, California. The lowest are in California, Utah, New York. On average, about 10 Shems were registered per state.
Shem + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Shem as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Shem
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
Shem: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shem?
We estimate approximately 716 people named Shem 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 478,707 Americans share this first name.
Is Shem a common name?
Shem is classified as "Very Rare" and is more popular than 87.7% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 745 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Shem most popular?
Shem reached peak popularity in 1976, when 23 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Shem is approximately 31 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Shem in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 858 people with the first name Shem. That placed it at #13,898 in the published Census first-name tables, or 0.28 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 Shem 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 Shem?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Shem was recorded as predominantly male. The published split was 94.9% male and 5.1% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Shem?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Shem was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (44.05%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (33.80%) and Asian and Pacific Islander (11.54%). 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 Shem a male name?
Shem is predominantly male. 99.3% of people with this name are male. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Shem 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. Shem peaked in 1976, and the average living bearer is about 31 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Shem Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Shem Smith, Shem Johnson, Shem 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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