Shaquasia
A feminine name possibly derived from the name Shakira or Arabic elements meaning "thankful".
Name Census estimates that about 201 living Americans carry the first name Shaquasia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shaquasia today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shaquasia births was 1992 (29 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shaquasia. 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
201
~ 1 in 1,705,245 Americans
Peak year
1992
29 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2001 SSA rank
#11,884
Tracked since 1987
Census
Shaquasia in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 156 people with the first name Shaquasia, which placed it at #44,397 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#44,397
National first-name rank
People counted
156
156 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Black or African American
89.7% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shaquasia
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Shaquasia is Black at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Shaquasia described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Shaquasia at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American89.7% · 140
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 8
- Two or more races1.9% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.3% · 2
- White0.6% · 1
Popularity
Shaquasia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shaquasia from the 1980s through to the 2000s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 165 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
Shaquasia 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 Shaquasia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shaquasias live
Origin
Meaning and history of Shaquasia
The name Shaquasia is a relatively modern combination of two distinct name elements, with roots tracing back to both Arabic and African languages. The first part, "Shaq", is derived from the Arabic name Shaquille, meaning "little wanderer" or "little traveler". This name component has been gaining popularity in recent decades, particularly in parts of the United States.
The latter part of the name, "asia", finds its origins in various African languages, where it is often used as a suffix or standalone name meaning "gift" or "blessing". The blending of these two name elements creates a unique and culturally diverse moniker that reflects the rich tapestry of influences that have shaped modern naming conventions.
While the name Shaquasia itself is relatively new and does not have a long recorded history, it is worth noting a few notable individuals who have borne similar names or name components. Shaquille O'Neal, the legendary NBA basketball player born in 1972, is perhaps the most well-known bearer of the "Shaq" portion of the name. His influence has undoubtedly contributed to the rising popularity of this name element.
Another individual of note is Shakia Philtor, a prominent civil rights activist born in 1925, whose name shares the "Shak" sound with the first part of Shaquasia. Philtor dedicated her life to advocating for racial equality and social justice, leaving a lasting impact on the fight for civil rights.
Historically, the name Asia has been used as both a given name and a surname, with roots dating back to ancient civilizations. One notable figure was Asia, a 1st-century BC queen of the Nabataean Kingdom, whose reign played a significant role in the region's history.
It is also worth mentioning Shakia Randolph, a renowned jazz singer and songwriter born in 1920, whose name bears a striking resemblance to the first part of Shaquasia. Her contributions to the world of music and her powerful vocal talents have left an indelible mark on the industry.
Finally, Shaquasia Walker, a contemporary figure born in 1992, has made a name for herself as a successful entrepreneur and business leader, showcasing the enduring appeal and versatility of this unique name across various fields and endeavors.
People
Shaquasia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shaquasia 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
Shaquasia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shaquasia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 201 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shaquasia 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 1,705,245 US residents.
Is Shaquasia a common name?
We classify Shaquasia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 208 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shaquasia most popular?
The single biggest year for Shaquasia was 1992, when 29 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shaquasia is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Shaquasia in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 156 people with the name Shaquasia, or 0.05 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #44,397 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Shaquasia in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Shaquasia?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Shaquasia appears almost entirely female. Of the 156 people counted with this name, 100.0% were female and only a very small share were male. The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Shaquasia?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Shaquasia is Black at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Shaquasia most often in the Census?
Black is the largest reported group for people named Shaquasia in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.7% (140 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
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 Shaquasia in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shaquasia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shaquasia 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 Shaquasia still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shaquasia 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 Shaquasia 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.
How many people are called Shaquasia?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.