Shakwan
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "he who bestows gifts."
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Shakwan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Shakwan today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shakwan births was 1998 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shakwan. 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 Shakwan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1998
5 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
1998 SSA rank
#11,038
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Shakwan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Shakwan 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 Shakwan 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 Shakwan
The name Shakwan is believed to have its origins in the Arabic language and culture, dating back several centuries to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Arabic word "shukran," which means "gratitude" or "thankfulness." This suggests that the name may have been given to express appreciation or as a gesture of gratitude.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shakwan can be found in the historical annals of the Abbasid Caliphate, a prominent Islamic empire that ruled vast territories spanning from modern-day Iran to North Africa between the 8th and 13th centuries. During this period, the name was likely associated with individuals of Arab or Persian descent.
While the name does not appear to have any direct references in religious scriptures or ancient texts, its Arabic roots and meaning of "gratitude" resonate with the Islamic tradition of expressing thankfulness to the divine and acknowledging blessings.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Shakwan. One such figure was Shakwan ibn Muhammad al-Andalusi, a renowned Arab poet and philosopher who lived in the 9th century CE. He was born in Cordoba, Spain, during the height of the Umayyad Caliphate and was renowned for his contributions to the literary and intellectual circles of the time.
Another prominent figure was Shakwan al-Harrani, a highly respected Islamic scholar and mathematician who lived in the 11th century CE. He was born in Harran, a city located in modern-day Turkey, and made significant contributions to the fields of astronomy and mathematics, particularly in the development of trigonometry.
In the realm of military leadership, Shakwan ibn Muhammad al-Kurdi stands out as a prominent figure from the 13th century CE. He was a Kurdish military commander who served under the Ayyubid dynasty, known for his valor and strategic prowess in battles against the Crusaders during the latter part of the Crusades.
The name Shakwan also found its way into the Ottoman Empire, where it was borne by Shakwan Pasha, a distinguished Ottoman statesman and military leader who lived in the 16th century CE. He held various high-ranking positions within the Ottoman administration and was known for his diplomatic skills and military campaigns.
Lastly, Shakwan al-Badrawi was a renowned Egyptian poet and writer who lived in the 19th century CE. He was born in Cairo and gained recognition for his contribution to the literary renaissance of the Arab world during that period, particularly through his poetic works that celebrated Arab culture and heritage.
These are just a few examples of individuals who bore the name Shakwan throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods, primarily within the Arab and Islamic world.
People
Shakwan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shakwan 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
Shakwan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shakwan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shakwan 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 Shakwan a common name?
We classify Shakwan 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 Shakwan most popular?
The single biggest year for Shakwan was 1998, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shakwan 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 Shakwan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shakwan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shakwan 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 Shakwan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shakwan 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 Shakwan 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 have the name Shakwan?
See how many people share the name Shakwan on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.