Dashown
Of uncertain origin, potentially a variant of the name Shawn.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Dashown. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Dashown today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dashown births was 1997 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dashown. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dashown. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1997
5 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
1997 SSA rank
#9,586
Tracked since 1997
Popularity
Dashown: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Dashown by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Dashown during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Dashown
The name Dashown has its roots in the African-American culture, originating in the United States during the late 20th century. It is believed to be a combination of the names Dashan and Shawn, both of which have their own unique origins. The name Dashan is derived from the Persian word "dāshtan," meaning "to have" or "to possess," while Shawn is an anglicized version of the Irish name Seán or Seóan, which means "God is gracious."
Historically, the name Dashown has been used primarily within the African-American community, although its precise origins and the reasons behind its creation remain uncertain. Some scholars suggest that it may have been inspired by a desire to create a unique and culturally significant name that reflected the experiences and identity of African Americans.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dashown can be found in the literary works of acclaimed African-American author and poet Nikki Giovanni. In her 1983 collection of poetry titled "Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day," Giovanni included a poem titled "Dashown," which may have helped popularize the name within the African-American community.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Dashown, including Dashown Harper, a former professional basketball player who played in the NBA G League and various international leagues in the early 2000s. Another notable bearer of the name is Dashown Farmer, a former American football player who played as a defensive back for several teams in the NFL, including the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers, from 2004 to 2009.
In the world of entertainment, Dashown Henderson is an American actor and comedian best known for his roles in various television shows and films, such as "The Chicago Code" and "The Blind Side." Dashown Harvey, a musician and songwriter from Detroit, Michigan, has also gained recognition for his contributions to the hip-hop and R&B genres.
Lastly, Dashown Watkins, a former American football player, played as a wide receiver for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2013 to 2016, where he set several receiving records and was named a team captain during his senior year.
While the name Dashown may not have a long and storied history like some other names, it has carved a unique place for itself within the African-American community and has been embraced by individuals across various fields, from sports to entertainment and beyond.
People
Dashown + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dashown as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dashown: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dashown?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dashown going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Dashown a common name?
We classify Dashown as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dashown most popular?
The single biggest year for Dashown was 1997, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dashown is about 28 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Dashown in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Dashown a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dashown in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Dashown still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Dashown in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Dashown can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Dashown?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.