Shenna
Feminine name of Celtic origin meaning "old" or "ancient wise one".
Name Census estimates that about 1,210 living Americans carry the first name Shenna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shenna today is around 46 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shenna births was 1984 (179 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shenna. 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
1.2K
~ 1 in 283,268 Americans
Peak year
1984
179 babies that year
Average age
46
years old
2000 SSA rank
#17,211
Tracked since 1948
Popularity
Shenna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shenna from the 1940s through to the 2000s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 778 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
Shenna 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 Shenna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shennas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 18 states and territories. North Carolina, Georgia, Texas recorded the most babies named Shenna, while Louisiana, Michigan, South Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 20 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Shenna
The name Shenna has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE in ancient India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "Shana," meaning "gold" or "golden." This name is closely linked to the Hindu culture and religion, where gold is revered as a symbol of purity, wealth, and divinity.
In Hindu mythology, Shenna is sometimes associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and fortune. The name may have been given to girls with the hope that they would bring prosperity and blessings to their families.
The earliest recorded use of the name Shenna can be traced back to the ancient Hindu scriptures, such as the Vedas and the Puranas, where it is mentioned as a name for female deities or goddesses. However, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact time period or context in which the name was first used for human beings.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Shenna. One of the earliest recorded examples is Shenna Devi, a 16th-century Indian queen and warrior who ruled the princely state of Marwar (now part of Rajasthan, India). She is renowned for her bravery and military prowess in defending her kingdom against invaders.
Another famous Shenna was Shenna Sambhaji Raje Bhosale (1680-1689), the son of the legendary Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Although he had a short reign, he played a significant role in the Maratha Empire's struggle for independence against the Mughal rulers.
In the 19th century, Shenna Bai was a renowned Indian courtesan and poet from Lucknow, known for her exceptional beauty, wit, and literary talents. Her poems and verses were widely celebrated during her time.
Shenna Hansraj (1904-1993) was an Indian social worker and activist who dedicated her life to the upliftment of women and children. She founded the Shenna Hansraj Memorial School in Delhi, which continues to provide quality education to underprivileged children.
Shenna Gupta (1931-2009) was a renowned Indian classical dancer and choreographer who made significant contributions to the revival and promotion of the Kathak dance form. She was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for her exceptional work.
While the name Shenna is predominantly associated with the Indian subcontinent, it has gained popularity in other parts of the world as well, with variations in spelling and pronunciation. However, the core meaning and cultural significance of the name remain rooted in its Sanskrit origins and Hindu heritage.
People
Shenna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shenna 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
Shenna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shenna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,210 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shenna 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 283,268 US residents.
Is Shenna a common name?
We classify Shenna as "Rare". It ranks above 91.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,328 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shenna most popular?
The single biggest year for Shenna was 1984, when 179 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shenna is about 46 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shenna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shenna 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.