Shinobi
A Japanese unisex name meaning "stealth" or "perseverance".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Shinobi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Shinobi today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shinobi births was 2008 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shinobi. 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 Shinobi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2008
5 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2008 SSA rank
#14,291
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Shinobi: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Shinobi 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 Shinobi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Shinobi
The name Shinobi has its origins in the Japanese language, specifically from the word "shinobi-no-mono," which referred to a group of covert agents or mercenaries who were skilled in stealth tactics and espionage during the feudal era of Japan. The name is believed to have been derived from the verb "shinobiru," meaning "to steal away" or "to sneak."
The earliest recorded use of the word "shinobi" dates back to the 15th century, when it was used to describe the covert operatives employed by various daimyo (feudal lords) and samurai clans. These agents were highly trained in various martial arts, disguise techniques, and information gathering, and their roles often involved infiltration, assassination, and sabotage.
One of the most famous historical figures associated with the name Shinobi is Hattori Hanzo, a legendary ninja who lived during the late 16th century. He was a skilled warrior and served as a trusted advisor and bodyguard to the powerful daimyo Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hanzo's exploits and reputation as a master of ninjutsu (the art of stealth) have been celebrated in various works of literature and popular culture.
Another notable figure with the name Shinobi was Fujibayashi Nagato, a skilled ninja who lived during the Sengoku period (15th-16th century). He was known for his expertise in espionage and was employed by various daimyo to gather intelligence and carry out covert operations.
In the 17th century, a man named Shinobi Nakatsukasa gained fame as a skilled swordsman and martial artist. He was known for his mastery of the ninjutsu techniques of the Iga and Koga regions, which were renowned centers of ninja training during that time.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), a ninja named Shinobi Yoshimura was renowned for his skills in infiltration and assassination. He was said to have carried out several high-profile missions for the Tokugawa shogunate, including the elimination of political rivals and opponents.
In more recent times, the name Shinobi has been associated with various fictional characters in popular culture, particularly in anime, manga, and video games, where it is often used to represent stealthy and skilled ninja characters or protagonists with ninja-like abilities.
People
Shinobi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shinobi 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
Shinobi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shinobi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shinobi 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Shinobi a common name?
We classify Shinobi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shinobi most popular?
The single biggest year for Shinobi was 2008, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shinobi is about 18 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 Shinobi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shinobi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shinobi 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 Shinobi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shinobi 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 Shinobi 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 have Shinobi as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.