Shawen
An Arabic name meaning "one who is lofty" or "elevated".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Shawen. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Shawen today is around 54 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shawen births was 1974 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shawen. 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 Shawen. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1974
6 babies that year
Average age
54
years old
1974 SSA rank
#5,137
Tracked since 1970
Popularity
Shawen: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Shawen 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 Shawen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11 | 0 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Shawen
The given name Shawen is a relatively modern name with no clear linguistic or cultural origin. It is likely a variant or creative spelling of the more common name Shawn, which is derived from the Irish name Seán or Séan. This name is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name Seán, which is derived from the ancient Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "God is gracious."
There are no known historical references or ancient texts that mention the name Shawen specifically. However, the name Seán has been used in Irish culture for centuries and has a rich history. The earliest recorded example of the name Seán dates back to the 17th century, when it was commonly used as a variant of the name John.
While the name Shawen is relatively uncommon, there are a few notable individuals who have borne this name throughout history. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Shawen Punal, a Native American leader of the Shawnee tribe in the late 18th century. He played a significant role in the resistance against European colonization and the protection of Shawnee lands.
Another notable individual named Shawen was Shawen Norwood, an American businessman and philanthropist who lived in the late 19th century. He was a successful industrialist and donated a significant portion of his wealth to various charitable causes, including the establishment of several educational institutions.
In the 20th century, Shawen Avari was a prominent Iranian-American author and poet. Born in 1932, Avari's works explored themes of cultural identity, migration, and the human experience. His poetry and novels received critical acclaim and have been translated into multiple languages.
Shawen Thambi was an Indian classical dancer and choreographer who lived from 1945 to 2019. He was a renowned exponent of the Bharatanatyam dance form and played a significant role in preserving and promoting this ancient Indian dance tradition.
Lastly, Shawen Mohan is a contemporary Australian artist and sculptor. Born in 1978, Mohan's works often explore themes of identity, memory, and the relationship between culture and the environment. His sculptures have been exhibited in galleries and public spaces around the world.
People
Shawen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shawen 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
Shawen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shawen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shawen 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Shawen a common name?
We classify Shawen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shawen most popular?
The single biggest year for Shawen was 1974, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shawen is about 54 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 Shawen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shawen a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shawen 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 Shawen still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shawen 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 Shawen 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 are called Shawen?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.