Shlonda
A feminine name potentially of African-American origin or a unique spelling variant.
Name Census estimates that about 108 living Americans carry the first name Shlonda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shlonda today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shlonda births was 1974 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shlonda. 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
108
~ 1 in 3,173,651 Americans
Peak year
1974
10 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
1991 SSA rank
#15,083
Tracked since 1968
Popularity
Shlonda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shlonda from the 1960s through to the 1990s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 68 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
Shlonda 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 Shlonda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Shlonda
The given name Shlonda is believed to have its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, which was spoken in the region of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500 BC. It is derived from the Sumerian words "shlu" meaning "to be wise" and "anda" meaning "shining" or "radiant." Together, the name Shlonda can be interpreted as "the shining one with wisdom."
This name was particularly popular among the Sumerian ruling classes and was often bestowed upon children of nobles and scholars. It was thought to bring blessings of intelligence, insight, and enlightenment upon the bearer. The earliest known record of the name Shlonda dates back to a cuneiform tablet from the city of Uruk, which mentioned a high priestess with this name who served in the temple of the goddess Inanna around 2800 BC.
In ancient Sumerian mythology, there is a reference to a minor deity named Shlonda, who was revered as the patron of learning and knowledge. This deity was often depicted holding a scroll or tablet, symbolizing the pursuit of wisdom and understanding.
One of the earliest recorded historical figures with the name Shlonda was a renowned Sumerian philosopher and mathematician who lived around 2200 BC. His works on geometry and astronomy were highly influential in shaping the development of these fields in the ancient world.
Throughout the centuries, the name Shlonda has been carried by several notable individuals, including:
1. Shlonda the Scribe (c. 1800 BC) - A highly skilled Babylonian scribe who was responsible for preserving and copying many ancient texts and tablets.
2. Shlonda of Ashur (c. 1500 BC) - A high priestess in the ancient Assyrian city of Ashur, known for her wisdom and her contributions to religious rites and ceremonies.
3. Shlonda the Astrologer (c. 800 BC) - A renowned Chaldean astrologer and astronomer who made significant advancements in the study of celestial bodies and their movements.
4. Shlonda the Grammarian (c. 300 BC) - A Greek scholar from Alexandria who wrote extensively on the grammar and syntax of the ancient Greek language.
5. Shlonda the Poet (c. 500 AD) - A Persian poet who authored several influential works of literature, including the epic poem "The Wisdom of Shlonda."
While the name Shlonda has its roots in ancient Sumerian culture, it has transcended its origins and has been adopted by various civilizations throughout history, each imbuing it with their own cultural significance and interpretations.
People
Shlonda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shlonda 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
Shlonda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shlonda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 108 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shlonda 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 3,173,651 US residents.
Is Shlonda a common name?
We classify Shlonda as "Very Rare". It ranks above 65.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 118 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shlonda most popular?
The single biggest year for Shlonda was 1974, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shlonda is about 48 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 Shlonda in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shlonda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shlonda 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 Shlonda still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shlonda 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 Shlonda 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 Americans are named Shlonda?
Want to know how many people have the name Shlonda? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.