Shekina
Feminine name meaning "divine presence" or "dwelling of God".
Name Census estimates that about 167 living Americans carry the first name Shekina. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shekina today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shekina births was 1976 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shekina. 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
167
~ 1 in 2,052,421 Americans
Peak year
1976
14 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
2011 SSA rank
#16,486
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Shekina: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shekina from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 62 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
Shekina 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 Shekina during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shekinas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Shekina
The name Shekina has its origins in the Hebrew language and Jewish culture. It is derived from the Hebrew word "Shekinah," which means "divine presence" or "dwelling place of God." The name is closely associated with the concept of God's presence among his people, as mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and various Jewish texts.
The earliest known usage of the word "Shekinah" can be traced back to the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, which was compiled between the 3rd and 6th centuries CE. In the Talmud, the Shekinah is described as the manifestation of God's presence on earth, particularly in relation to the Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem.
While the name Shekina is not explicitly mentioned in the Hebrew Bible or other ancient Jewish texts, its connection to the concept of the divine presence makes it a significant name within the Jewish tradition. It gained popularity as a given name among Jewish communities, particularly in the 20th century.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Shekina was Shekina Rosenberg, a Jewish-American artist born in 1918 in New York City. She was known for her abstract expressionist paintings and her involvement in the feminist art movement.
Another notable figure was Shekina Weingarten, an American-Israeli writer and educator born in 1938. She authored several books on Jewish spirituality and mystic traditions, contributing to the understanding and appreciation of these concepts in contemporary times.
In the realm of music, Shekina Glory is a contemporary gospel singer and songwriter from the United States. She has released several albums and is known for her powerful vocals and inspirational lyrics.
Shekina Zawa is a Zambian politician and activist who has been a member of the National Assembly of Zambia since 2011. She has been vocal about issues related to women's rights, education, and economic empowerment.
Another notable individual is Shekina Forgenie, a Canadian artist and illustrator born in 1986. Her work often explores themes of identity, culture, and spirituality, and she has exhibited her art in various galleries and public spaces.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Shekina, a name deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and the concept of God's divine presence.
People
Shekina + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shekina 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
Shekina: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shekina?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 167 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shekina 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 2,052,421 US residents.
Is Shekina a common name?
We classify Shekina as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 176 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shekina most popular?
The single biggest year for Shekina was 1976, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shekina is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shekina a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shekina 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.