How Many People Are Named Shenan?
An estimated 46 people in the United States have the first name Shenan. It is used for both genders, with 51.9% female. The average bearer is 56 years old, and Shenan peaked in popularity in 1966 with 8 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Shenan 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 Shenan paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- Shenan is exceptionally rare. Fewer than 100 people with this name are estimated to be alive in the U.S. today.
Estimated Living Americans
46
About 1 in 7,451,181 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Very Rare
Predicted Gender
Female
51.9% confidence
Average Age
56
years old
Peak Year
1966
8 births
Total Registered
52
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Shenan
Shenan is a genuinely unisex name, used for both males (48.1%) and females (51.9%). Out of 52 total births registered, 25 were male and 27 were female.
Shenan as a male name
Ranked #5,890 in 1974
5 male births in 1974
Peak: 1966 (8 births)
Shenan as a female name
Ranked #11,650 in 1979
5 female births in 1979
Peak: 1971 (7 births)
Shenan in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 138 people with the first name Shenan, which placed it at #47,349 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, Shenan was recorded as predominantly female. Out of 138 people with this name in that snapshot, 37.7% were male and 62.3% were female. That is more heavily female than the long-run SSA birth pattern on this page, which sits at 51.9% female.
Census Count
138
people with this name
Census Rank
#47,349
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
0.05
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Shenan was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (68.99%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (13.95%) and Asian and Pacific Islander (10.08%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Shenan 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 Shenan.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| White | 68.99% | 89 |
| Black | 13.95% | 18 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 10.08% | 13 |
| Hispanic | 3.88% | 5 |
| Two or More Races | 2.33% | 3 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.78% | 1 |
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.
Shenan: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Shenan span from the 1960s to the 1970s, covering 2 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1970s, when 32 babies were registered. Shenan remains highly popular today, with recent registration numbers near its historical peak.
Shenan by Decade
How has Shenan 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.
Shenan + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Shenan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Shenan
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
Shenan: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shenan?
We estimate approximately 46 people named Shenan 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 7,451,181 Americans share this first name.
Is Shenan a common name?
Shenan is classified as "Very Rare" and is more popular than 53.1% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 52 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Shenan most popular?
Shenan reached peak popularity in 1966, when 8 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Shenan is approximately 56 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Shenan in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 138 people with the first name Shenan. That placed it at #47,349 in the published Census first-name tables, or 0.05 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 Shenan 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 Shenan?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Shenan was recorded as predominantly female. The published split was 37.7% male and 62.3% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Shenan?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Shenan was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (68.99%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (13.95%) and Asian and Pacific Islander (10.08%). 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 Shenan a female name?
Shenan is predominantly female. 51.9% of people with this name are female. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Shenan 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. Shenan peaked in 1966, and the average living bearer is about 56 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Shenan Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Shenan Smith, Shenan Johnson, Shenan 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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