Find out how popular the first name Shanay has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Shanay by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Shanay is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 97% of people named Shanay being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 11 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Shanay.

It's also interesting to see that despite Shanay being historically a mostly female name, the most recent data from 2023 shows a shift in the trend, with more male babies being named Shanay.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 11 baby boys were named Shanay in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Shanay

The name Shanay is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to around the 2nd millennium BCE. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "shana," which means "gradually" or "slowly." The name was likely first used in the Indian subcontinent, where Sanskrit has had a significant influence on language and culture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shanay can be found in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Vedas. In the Rigveda, which is one of the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, there is a reference to a person named Shanay who was a skilled archer and warrior. This suggests that the name has been in use for thousands of years and may have held significance in Hindu mythology or folklore.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Shanay. One of the most famous was Shanay Tulsidas, a 16th-century Indian poet and philosopher who wrote extensively on Hindu spirituality and was renowned for his works, including the Ramcharitmanas, a retelling of the Hindu epic Ramayana. He was born in 1532 and passed away in 1623.

Another prominent figure with the name Shanay was Shanay Singh, a 17th-century Rajput ruler who governed the princely state of Marwar (now part of Rajasthan, India) from 1661 to 1679. He was known for his military prowess and his efforts to expand and fortify his kingdom.

In the 19th century, Shanay Lall was a prominent Indian lawyer and jurist who served as a judge in the Calcutta High Court. He was born in 1827 and made significant contributions to the development of Indian legal system during the British Raj.

More recently, Shanay Mukherji was an Indian actress and dancer who appeared in several Bollywood films in the 1960s and 1970s. She was born in 1944 and is remembered for her performances in movies such as "Amar Prem" and "Anand."

Another notable individual with the name Shanay was Shanay Raghunath, an Indian cricketer who played domestic cricket for Mumbai in the 1990s and early 2000s. He was a skilled batsman and had a successful career in Indian domestic cricket circuits.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Shanay was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Shanay, please contact us.

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