Shahna
An Arabic feminine name meaning "beauty" or "beautiful pearl".
Name Census estimates that about 37 living Americans carry the first name Shahna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shahna today is around 51 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shahna births was 1968 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shahna. 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 Shahna. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
37
~ 1 in 9,263,631 Americans
Peak year
1968
15 babies that year
Average age
51
years old
1987 SSA rank
#11,005
Tracked since 1968
Popularity
Shahna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shahna from the 1960s through to the 1980s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 24 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1960s peak, Shahna remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shahna 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 Shahna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Shahna
The name Shahna is believed to have originated from the Persian language, with its roots dating back to the ancient Persian empire. The word "shah" in Persian means "king" or "sovereign," indicating a regal and noble connotation.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Shahna can be found in the Shahnameh, an epic poem written by the renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. The poem narrates the history of the Persian kings and heroes, and it is possible that the name Shahna was inspired by the tales within this literary masterpiece.
In the Islamic tradition, the name Shahna holds significant meaning. It is derived from the Arabic word "shahan," which means "to honor" or "to glorify." This connection suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon individuals as a symbol of respect and admiration.
The earliest known historical figure bearing the name Shahna was Shahna ibn Husayn al-Qummi, a prominent Islamic scholar and theologian who lived in the 9th century. He was renowned for his contributions to Islamic jurisprudence and his teachings on the principles of Islamic law.
Another notable figure with the name Shahna was Shahna Begum, a powerful and influential woman who lived in the 16th century during the Mughal Empire in India. She was the wife of the Mughal emperor Humayun and played a crucial role in the political and cultural affairs of the empire.
In the realm of literature, Shahna Khanam was a celebrated poet and writer from the 18th century. She hailed from the city of Lucknow, India, and her works were highly acclaimed for their poetic elegance and profound insights.
The name Shahna also found its way into the world of music and performing arts. Shahna Bibi was a renowned classical dancer and courtesan who lived in the 19th century in the Indian city of Hyderabad. Her graceful performances and mastery of the art form earned her widespread recognition and admiration.
Lastly, Shahna Vajifdar was a prominent Iranian writer and feminist activist who fought for women's rights and social reform in the early 20th century. She played a pivotal role in raising awareness about gender equality and championing the cause of women's education in Iran.
These historical figures, spanning various eras and regions, exemplify the rich legacy and diverse associations of the name Shahna, which has been carried forth through generations, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries.
People
Shahna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shahna as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Shahna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shahna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 37 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shahna 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 9,263,631 US residents.
Is Shahna a common name?
We classify Shahna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 49.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 41 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shahna most popular?
The single biggest year for Shahna was 1968, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shahna is about 51 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 Shahna in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shahna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shahna in the SSA data are female. 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 Shahna still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shahna 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 Shahna 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 called Shahna?
You can see how many people share the name Shahna on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.