Shakeel
Of Arabic origin, meaning one who is thankful or appreciative.
Name Census estimates that about 212 living Americans carry the first name Shakeel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Shakeel today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shakeel births was 1993 (45 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shakeel. 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.
People living today
212
~ 1 in 1,616,766 Americans
Peak year
1993
45 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2019 SSA rank
#11,912
Tracked since 1982
Popularity
Shakeel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shakeel from the 1980s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 171 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shakeel 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 Shakeel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shakeels live
Origin
Meaning and history of Shakeel
The name Shakeel is of Arabic origin and has its roots in the word "shakala," which means "to form" or "to shape." It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period in the Middle East.
The name Shakeel was initially associated with artisans and craftsmen, particularly those involved in shaping and forming various materials into intricate designs. It carried connotations of skill, precision, and attention to detail.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shakeel can be found in the writings of Ibn Battuta, a renowned Moroccan scholar and explorer from the 14th century. In his travelogues, he mentions encountering a skilled metalworker named Shakeel during his journey through the Persian territories.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Shakeel. One such individual was Shakeel Badayuni, a renowned Sufi poet and mystic who lived in the 16th century during the Mughal Empire in India. His poetic works and spiritual teachings greatly influenced the literary and cultural landscape of his time.
Another prominent figure was Shakeel Ahmad Khan, an Indian politician and freedom fighter who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. He was born in 1892 and actively participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
In the realm of sports, Shakeel Abbasi, a Pakistani cricketer, made his mark in the 1970s and 1980s. He represented the national team and was known for his all-round abilities as a right-arm off-break bowler and a useful lower-order batsman.
The name Shakeel also gained recognition in the field of literature with Shakeel Badayuni, a Pakistani writer and poet who lived from 1916 to 1969. His works, including poetry collections and novels, explored themes of love, spirituality, and social commentary, earning him widespread acclaim.
Another notable figure was Shakeel Siddiqui, an Indian film director and screenwriter born in 1936. He directed numerous popular Hindi films during the 1960s and 1970s, contributing significantly to the golden age of Indian cinema.
While the name Shakeel has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has transcended geographical boundaries and found acceptance across various regions, particularly in the Middle East, South Asia, and parts of Africa.
People
Shakeel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shakeel 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
Shakeel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shakeel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 212 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shakeel 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 1,616,766 US residents.
Is Shakeel a common name?
We classify Shakeel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 218 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shakeel most popular?
The single biggest year for Shakeel was 1993, when 45 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shakeel is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shakeel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shakeel 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.
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.