Shantay
A feminine name of French origin meaning "peace" or "rest".
Name Census estimates that about 1,187 living Americans carry the first name Shantay. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shantay today is around 41 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shantay births was 1987 (72 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shantay. 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
1.2K
~ 1 in 288,757 Americans
Peak year
1987
72 babies that year
Average age
41
years old
2011 SSA rank
#19,132
Tracked since 1961
Popularity
Shantay: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shantay from the 1960s through to the 2010s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 527 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shantay 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 Shantay during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shantays live
The SSA's state-level files cover 12 states and territories. New York, New Jersey, California recorded the most babies named Shantay, while Michigan, Maryland, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 21 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Shantay
The name Shantay has its origins in the Hindi language, spoken primarily in India. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 10th to 12th centuries CE. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "शान्ति" (shanti), which means peace, tranquility, or calmness.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Shantay can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts. It was often used as a name for individuals who were believed to possess a peaceful and serene demeanor or those who sought spiritual enlightenment and inner peace.
In the 14th century, there was a renowned Hindu philosopher and spiritual leader named Shantay Swami, who was revered for his teachings on the concept of "shanti" or peace. His teachings and writings had a significant influence on the spread and popularity of the name.
Another notable figure with the name Shantay was Shantay Devi, a 16th-century Indian poet and mystic. Her poetic works, which often explored themes of spirituality and the pursuit of inner peace, were widely acclaimed during her lifetime and continue to be studied today.
During the 18th century, Shantay Singh, a influential Rajput warrior and military leader, earned a reputation for his strategic prowess and his ability to maintain peace and order in the regions under his control. His name became synonymous with strength, valor, and a commitment to upholding justice.
In the 19th century, Shantay Kumari, a prominent social reformer and advocate for women's education, played a crucial role in establishing schools and educational institutions for girls in various parts of India. Her efforts to promote peace, equality, and empowerment through education earned her widespread acclaim.
Throughout history, the name Shantay has been associated with individuals who have embodied the values of peace, tranquility, and spiritual enlightenment. It has been carried by philosophers, poets, warriors, and social reformers, all of whom have left a lasting impact on their respective fields and societies.
People
Shantay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shantay 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
Shantay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shantay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,187 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shantay 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 288,757 US residents.
Is Shantay a common name?
We classify Shantay as "Rare". It ranks above 91.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,270 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shantay most popular?
The single biggest year for Shantay was 1987, when 72 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shantay is about 41 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shantay a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shantay 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.
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.