Shoan
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "one who answers prayers".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Shoan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Shoan today is around 57 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shoan births was 1969 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shoan. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Shoan with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Shoan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1969
9 babies that year
Average age
57
years old
1969 SSA rank
#3,282
Tracked since 1969
Popularity
Shoan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Shoan 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 Shoan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9 | 0 | 9 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Shoan
The name Shoan has its origins in the ancient Semitic languages of the Middle East, tracing back to the early centuries of the Common Era. It is believed to be derived from the Aramaic word "shawon," meaning "peaceful" or "tranquil." This name carried connotations of serenity and calm, often associated with the concept of inner peace.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shoan can be found in the writings of the ancient Aramaic scholar, Bar Hebraeus, who lived in the 13th century CE. In his historical chronicles, he mentions a prominent figure named Shoan, who was a respected scholar and philosopher of his time. Unfortunately, few details about this individual's life have survived.
In the realm of religious texts, the name Shoan appears in some manuscripts of the Syriac Orthodox Church, which has its roots in the ancient Christian communities of Mesopotamia. These manuscripts date back to the 5th and 6th centuries CE and contain references to individuals bearing this name, though their exact identities remain obscure.
Moving forward in history, one notable figure named Shoan was a renowned mathematician and astronomer from the city of Merv, located in present-day Turkmenistan. He lived during the 9th century CE and made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary positions. His works were widely circulated and influenced scholars throughout the Islamic Golden Age.
Another prominent individual bearing the name Shoan was a Persian poet and mystic who lived in the 12th century CE. His poetic works, which explored themes of spirituality and the pursuit of divine love, were highly regarded during his time and continue to be studied by scholars of Persian literature to this day.
In the annals of medieval European history, there is a record of a nobleman named Shoan who served as a military commander during the Crusades. He fought alongside the Knights Templar and is mentioned in accounts of the siege of Acre in 1191 CE, where he is said to have displayed exceptional bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
While the name Shoan has been relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been carried by individuals from diverse cultural and geographical backgrounds, each leaving their mark in their respective fields and eras. The name's roots in the ancient Semitic languages serve as a reminder of the rich tapestry of human civilization and the enduring legacy of names that transcend time and borders.
People
Shoan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shoan 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
Shoan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shoan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shoan 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 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Shoan a common name?
We classify Shoan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 9 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shoan most popular?
The single biggest year for Shoan was 1969, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shoan is about 57 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 Shoan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shoan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shoan 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 Shoan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shoan 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 Shoan 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 share the name Shoan?
Want to know how many people share the name Shoan? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.