Shontel
A feminine name of English origin meaning "dweller by a little brook".
Name Census estimates that about 734 living Americans carry the first name Shontel. It is a predominantly female name (97.6% of registrations). The average person named Shontel today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shontel births was 1972 (45 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shontel. 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
734
~ 1 in 466,968 Americans
Peak year
1972
45 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
1989 SSA rank
#9,038
Tracked since 1967
Gender
Gender distribution for Shontel
Shontel leans heavily female at 97.6% of total registrations, but 19 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Shontel as a male name
- Ranked #9,038 in 1989
- 5 male births in 1989
- Peak: 1977 (7 births)
Shontel as a female name
- Ranked #10,979 in 2002
- 9 female births in 2002
- Peak: 1972 (45 births)
Popularity
Shontel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shontel from the 1960s through to the 2000s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 323 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
Shontel 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 Shontel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shontels live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Louisiana, California, Missouri recorded the most babies named Shontel, while Florida, Missouri, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 15 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Shontel
The name Shontel is a relatively modern variation of the French name Chantal, which itself is a derivative of the Latin name Cantiana. The name Cantiana was originally a place name referring to the region of Kent in England, which was known as Cantia during the Roman period.
The name Chantal emerged in France during the Middle Ages and was popularized by St. Jane Frances de Chantal, a 17th-century French nun and founder of the Visitation Order. The name Chantal is believed to have been derived from the Latin word "cantus," meaning "song" or "melody," perhaps reflecting the musical quality of the name.
The spelling variation "Shontel" is a more recent development, likely influenced by the popularity of similar-sounding names like Shonda and Shante in the latter half of the 20th century. This spelling may have been an attempt to create a unique and modern version of the traditional Chantal.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shontel can be found in the United States in the late 20th century. However, it is important to note that the name's origins can be traced back centuries to its French and Latin roots.
Notable individuals with the name Shontel throughout history include:
1. Shontel Green, an American singer-songwriter born in 1986, known for her work in the R&B and pop genres.
2. Shontel Jackson, an American politician and member of the Ohio House of Representatives, born in 1985.
3. Shontel Brown, an American author and motivational speaker born in the late 20th century, known for her work on self-empowerment and personal growth.
4. Shontel Cargill, an American businesswoman and entrepreneur born in the late 20th century, recognized for her contributions in the field of technology.
5. Shontel Horne, an American artist and painter born in the mid-20th century, known for her vibrant and expressive works.
While the name Shontel may not have a long historical record, its roots can be traced back to ancient Latin and French origins, reflecting the rich tapestry of cultural influences that have shaped modern names.
People
Shontel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shontel 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
Shontel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shontel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 734 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shontel 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 466,968 US residents.
Is Shontel a common name?
We classify Shontel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 790 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shontel most popular?
The single biggest year for Shontel was 1972, when 45 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shontel is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shontel a female name?
Yes, 97.6% of people registered as Shontel 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.