Shawndra
A feminine variation of the masculine name Shawn and related names meaning "old" or "wise".
Name Census estimates that about 621 living Americans carry the first name Shawndra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shawndra today is around 46 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shawndra births was 1974 (38 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shawndra. 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
621
~ 1 in 551,939 Americans
Peak year
1974
38 babies that year
Average age
46
years old
2003 SSA rank
#15,464
Tracked since 1962
Census
Shawndra in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 593 people with the first name Shawndra, which placed it at #18,232 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
#18,232
National first-name rank
People counted
593
593 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.2
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
White
46.7% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shawndra
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Shawndra is White at 46.7%. The next largest groups are Black (39.1%) and Two or More Races (7.9%). 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 Shawndra 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 Shawndra at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White46.7% · 277
- Black or African American39.1% · 232
- Two or more races7.9% · 47
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 25
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 6
Popularity
Shawndra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shawndra from the 1960s through to the 2000s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 264 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shawndra 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 Shawndra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shawndras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Texas, Illinois recorded the most babies named Shawndra, while Illinois, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 15 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Shawndra
The name Shawndra is a unique and intriguing moniker with a rich history that spans across cultures and time periods. Its origins can be traced back to the Gaelic language, where it is derived from the Old Irish words "sean" meaning "old" or "ancient" and "dra" signifying "poet" or "bard." This suggests that the name may have originally been bestowed upon individuals renowned for their poetic talents or revered for their wisdom and age.
During the Middle Ages, the name Shawndra gained popularity among the Celtic populations of Ireland and Scotland. It was often associated with bardic traditions and oral storytelling, as the name itself evoked a sense of reverence for the ancient arts of poetry and music. In some accounts, Shawndra is mentioned as the name of a legendary Irish bard who composed epic tales celebrating the exploits of kings and heroes.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Shawndra dates back to the 9th century, when it appeared in the Irish Annals of Ulster, a historical chronicle documenting events in medieval Ireland. The entry referred to a renowned poet and scholar known as Shawndra of Armagh, who was celebrated for his mastery of the bardic arts and his contributions to the preservation of Irish literary traditions.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Shawndra, leaving an indelible mark on various fields. One such individual was Shawndra MacLeod (1570-1642), a Scottish Highland chieftain and renowned warrior who played a pivotal role in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. His bravery and leadership were immortalized in numerous songs and tales passed down through generations.
Another remarkable figure was Shawndra O'Brien (1720-1795), an Irish noblewoman and philanthropist who dedicated her life to advocating for education and social reforms. She founded several schools and established charitable organizations to support the underprivileged, earning her the admiration of her contemporaries and a place in history as a champion of enlightenment values.
In the realm of literature, Shawndra Macken (1886-1962) was an accomplished Irish playwright and novelist whose works explored the complexities of human relationships and the enduring struggles of the Irish people. Her plays were widely acclaimed and continue to be celebrated for their poetic language and profound insights.
The name Shawndra also found its way into the annals of art and music. Shawndra Ní Bhrolcháin (1915-1980) was a renowned Irish harpist and singer who dedicated her life to preserving and promoting traditional Irish music. Her performances captivated audiences worldwide and inspired generations of musicians to embrace their cultural heritage.
While the name Shawndra may not be as commonly encountered today, its rich history and symbolic connections to ancient bardic traditions, poetry, and storytelling continue to resonate. This unique name stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Celtic cultures and their profound influence on literature, art, and music throughout the ages.
People
Shawndra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shawndra 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
Shawndra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shawndra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 621 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shawndra 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 551,939 US residents.
Is Shawndra a common name?
We classify Shawndra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 677 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shawndra most popular?
The single biggest year for Shawndra was 1974, when 38 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shawndra is about 46 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Shawndra in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 593 people with the name Shawndra, or 0.20 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #18,232 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 Shawndra 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 Shawndra?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Shawndra appears almost entirely female. Of the 595 people counted with this name, 99.3% 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 Shawndra?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Shawndra is White at 46.7%. The next largest groups are Black (39.1%) and Two or More Races (7.9%). 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 Shawndra most often in the Census?
White is the largest reported group for people named Shawndra in the 2020 Census, accounting for 46.7% (277 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 Shawndra in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shawndra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shawndra 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 Shawndra still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shawndra 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 Shawndra 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 Americans are named Shawndra?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.