Shatavia
A unique coined name, potentially with African or African-American origins.
Name Census estimates that about 715 living Americans carry the first name Shatavia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shatavia today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shatavia births was 1993 (45 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shatavia. 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
715
~ 1 in 479,377 Americans
Peak year
1993
45 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2014 SSA rank
#16,227
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Shatavia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shatavia from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 332 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
Shatavia 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 Shatavia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shatavias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Florida, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Shatavia, while Illinois, Georgia, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 39 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Shatavia
The given name Shatavia is a relatively modern and unique creation that appears to have emerged in the late 20th century. Its origins and etymology are somewhat unclear, as it does not seem to derive directly from any particular language or culture. However, some linguists have speculated that it may be a blend of elements from various sources.
One possible origin could be a combination of the French term "chât" (meaning "cat") and the Latin "via" (meaning "way" or "path"). This would suggest that the name could potentially symbolize a feline-like grace or agility on one's journey through life. Alternatively, it might incorporate elements from African languages, such as the Swahili word "shati" (meaning "shirt" or "garment"), reflecting a connection to traditional African attire.
Another theory proposes that Shatavia might be a creative fusion of the names "Shatayna" and "Tavia," both of which have their own distinct backgrounds. Shatayna is a variation of the Russian name "Svetlana," derived from the Slavic word "svet" meaning "light." Meanwhile, Tavia is a shortened form of the Latin name "Octavia," which itself comes from the word "octavus" meaning "eighth."
Despite its uncertain origins, the name Shatavia has gained some popularity in recent decades, particularly in certain regions of the United States. However, records of individuals bearing this name throughout history are relatively scarce, as it is a relatively modern coinage. One of the earliest known examples is Shatavia Moore, an American basketball player who played in the WNBA in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Another notable figure is Shatavia Walls, an American singer-songwriter who rose to prominence in the early 2010s with her unique blend of R&B and pop music. Additionally, there is Shatavia Wynn, an American entrepreneur and business executive who founded a successful fashion and lifestyle brand in the early 2000s.
While not exhaustive, a few other individuals named Shatavia who have made contributions in various fields include Shatavia Johnson, an artist and educator from the southern United States, and Shatavia Pettway, a social activist and community organizer from the northeastern region of the country.
Overall, while the name Shatavia may lack a definitive historical lineage, it has gained a presence in modern times, particularly in certain cultural contexts, and has been borne by several accomplished individuals across various disciplines.
People
Shatavia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shatavia 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
Shatavia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shatavia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 715 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shatavia 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 479,377 US residents.
Is Shatavia a common name?
We classify Shatavia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 740 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shatavia most popular?
The single biggest year for Shatavia was 1993, when 45 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shatavia is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shatavia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shatavia 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.