Shadow
Every Shadow since 1974 — 1,104 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shadow
Shadow is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #6,091 in 2025 with 15 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1974, 1,104 American babies have been named Shadow — about 56% boys and 44% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1993, when 58 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Shadow stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shadow year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 15 | #6,091 |
| 2024 | 6 | #15,007 | 14 | #6,420 |
| 2023 | 8 | #12,033 | 12 | #7,230 |
| 2022 | 13 | #8,458 | 18 | #5,398 |
| 2021 | 8 | #12,038 | 17 | #5,519 |
| 2020 | 10 | #10,156 | 14 | #6,236 |
| 2019 | 7 | #13,597 | 15 | #6,056 |
| 2018 | 8 | #12,318 | 10 | #8,059 |
| 2017 | 12 | #9,263 | 19 | #5,078 |
| 2016 | 8 | #12,716 | 7 | #10,557 |
| 2015 | 10 | #10,753 | 11 | #7,438 |
| 2014 | 6 | #16,211 | 14 | #6,258 |
| 2013 | — | — | 14 | #6,191 |
| 2012 | — | — | 5 | #13,884 |
| 2011 | 8 | #13,172 | 18 | #5,163 |
| 2010 | 7 | #14,718 | 7 | #10,572 |
| 2009 | 8 | #13,491 | 8 | #9,716 |
| 2008 | 11 | #10,678 | 10 | #8,204 |
| 2007 | 6 | #17,262 | 10 | #8,070 |
| 2006 | 7 | #14,882 | 17 | #5,268 |
| 2005 | 12 | #9,359 | 8 | #8,962 |
| 2004 | 14 | #8,165 | 6 | #11,127 |
| 2003 | 10 | #10,307 | 8 | #8,496 |
| 2002 | 6 | #15,078 | 9 | #7,533 |
| 2001 | 9 | #10,865 | 7 | #9,071 |
| 2000 | 13 | #7,961 | 17 | #4,534 |
| 1995 | 22 | #4,653 | 27 | #2,751 |
| 1990 | 19 | #5,019 | 30 | #2,363 |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | 7 | #8,888 | — | — |
| 1975 | 6 | #8,810 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Shadow in 2025?
Shadow ranked #6,091 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 15 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Shadow?
1,104 babies have been named Shadow in the United States since 1974, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shadow most popular?
Shadow peaked in 1993, when 58 newborns received the name.
Is Shadow a boy or girl name?
Shadow is used for both: about 44% of babies named Shadow have been girls and 56% boys.
Is the name Shadow rising or falling?
Shadow is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.