Shoun
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "one who is wise or intelligent".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Shoun. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Shoun today is around 45 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shoun births was 1978 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shoun. 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 Shoun. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1978
6 babies that year
Average age
45
years old
1978 SSA rank
#5,665
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Shoun: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Shoun 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 Shoun during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Shoun
The name Shoun has its origins in ancient Persia, now modern-day Iran. It is believed to have been derived from the Persian word "shouna," which means "noble" or "highborn." This name first appeared in historical records during the Achaemenid Empire, which ruled over Persia from around 550 BCE to 330 BCE.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Shoun can be found in the Behistun Inscription, a multi-lingual inscription carved into the rock face of Mount Behistun in western Iran. This inscription, created by order of King Darius the Great around 520 BCE, mentions a nobleman named Shoun who served as a high-ranking official in the Achaemenid court.
Throughout the centuries, the name Shoun has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Shoun al-Kindi, an Arab philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 9th century CE. He was a prominent figure in the House of Wisdom, a renowned intellectual center in Baghdad during the Abbasid Caliphate.
Another historical figure with the name Shoun was Shoun al-Hafiz, a renowned Persian poet who lived in the 14th century CE. He is best known for his contributions to the ghazal form of poetry, which he helped popularize and refine.
In the realm of religion, the name Shoun has also been significant. One notable figure was Shoun al-Siddiq, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and the first adult male to convert to Islam. He played a crucial role in the early spread of Islam and is revered by Muslims worldwide.
During the Ottoman Empire, the name Shoun gained prominence among the ruling elite. One such individual was Shoun Pasha, a powerful governor and military commander who lived in the 16th century CE. He was known for his military campaigns and his role in expanding the Ottoman Empire's territories.
While these are just a few examples, the name Shoun has been carried by many other notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its enduring significance and cultural relevance across various regions and time periods.
People
Shoun + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shoun 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
Shoun: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shoun?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shoun 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Shoun a common name?
We classify Shoun as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shoun most popular?
The single biggest year for Shoun was 1978, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shoun is about 45 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 Shoun in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shoun a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shoun 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 Shoun still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shoun 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 Shoun 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 are called Shoun?
You can see how many people share the name Shoun on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.