How Many People Are Named Shannon?

Complete statistics for the name Shannon: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.

Shannon
Uncommon
Irish

Shannon means 'she who is gracious' and has Irish origins. It's rare, with 1 in 1,008 Americans having this name, making it stand out among 327,538 people. The name peaked in popularity in 1970 but has since been declining.

~44,030
Living in US
1 in 7,528
Americans
1970
Peak Year

📖 Meaning & Origin

💬
Meaning
She who is gracious
🌐
Origin
Irish
🔢
Numerology
Life Path 4
Personality Traits
Gracious Compassionate Gentle
4
Life Path Number

Traditionally, the life-path number 4 represents stability and hard work.

🌍 Worldwide Usage

327,538
Worldwide Bearers
#1,893
Global Rank
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
408
🇵🇭 Philippines
398
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
367
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
352
🇨🇳 China
350
🇮🇶 Iraq
333
🇰🇪 Kenya
330
🇲🇾 Malaysia
311
🇮🇪 Ireland
278
🇯🇲 Jamaica
199

⚥ Gender Distribution

♂ Male
46,243 (14%)
♀ Female
281,295 (86%)

📊 Births by Age Group

Avg Cohort Age: 47
29,438
Would be under 30 (8%)
293,622
Would be 30–60 (84%)
24,986
Would be over 60 (7%)

All 348,046 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).

📈 Popularity Over Time

Peak: 1970

Annual US births from SSA records  ·  Trend: Declining

🏆 Name Scorecard

Popularity
100
Classic Feel
61
Modern Appeal
39
International
5

Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency

📜 Shannon Through the Generations

Shannon, a name with Irish roots, has seen its popularity rise and fall over the decades. In 1970, it reached its peak with 16,118 births, but today, it's considered uncommon. The current age distribution shows that most people named Shannon are between 30 and 60 years old, indicating a generation gap in usage. With 29,438 under 30 and 24,986 over 60, the name's presence spans across different age groups, though it's less popular among younger parents now.

📍 State Distribution (Top 10)

California 36,039
Texas 20,550
New York 18,857
Ohio 17,102
Pennsylvania 16,057
Michigan 15,070
Illinois 14,639
Florida 14,386
North Carolina 10,427
Georgia 9,849

⭐ Famous People Named Shannon

Shannon is an Irish name, Anglicised from Sionainn. Alternative spellings include Shannen, Shanon, Shannan, and Siannon. The variant Shanna is an Anglicisation of Sionna.…

Full list on Wikipedia →

✨ Similar Names to Shannon

🌿 Related Names by Origin

Other names sharing Shannon's Irish roots

📄 About the Name Shannon

How Many People Have the Name Shannon?

Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 44,030 people in the United States currently share the name Shannon. That works out to roughly 1 in every 7,528 Americans, placing it in the Uncommon category.

Is Shannon a Common or Rare Name?

Shannon is classified as Uncommon. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.

What Does the Name Shannon Mean?

Shannon means "she who is gracious" and comes from Irish origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 4.

Gender Breakdown

Of all recorded bearers of Shannon in SSA data, approximately 14% are male and 86% are female.

When Was Shannon Most Popular?

The name Shannon reached peak popularity in 1970, with 16,118 babies registered that year. Current trend: Declining.

How Is This Data Calculated?

All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many people are named Shannon?

Approximately 44,030 people named Shannon live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 44,030. That works out to roughly 1 in 7,528 Americans.

Is Shannon a rare name?

Shannon is classified as Uncommon in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 7,528 Americans has this name.

What does the name Shannon mean?

Shannon means "she who is gracious" and comes from Irish origins.

Is Shannon more male or female?

Based on SSA records, 14% of people named Shannon are male and 86% are female.

When was Shannon most popular?

Shannon peaked in 1970 with 16,118 births that year. Current trend: Declining.

How accurate are these statistics?

All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.

Disclaimer: All results are statistical estimates based on aggregated SSA birth records and modeling. Not exact counts of individuals. Data source: SSA National Baby Names dataset.
Quick Stats
Living in US44,030
All-Time Births44,030
1 in X1 in 7,528
RarityUncommon
GenderFemale
Avg Age47
Peak Year1970
World Rank#1,893
Male %14%
Female %86%

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Data Source

Powered by the SSA National Baby Names dataset, birth registrations from 1880 to present.

All counts are statistical estimates. See the methodology page.