Shaquille
A fanciful spelling of Arabic شَكِيل (šakīl, “handsome”).
Every Shaquille since 1989 — 6,156 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shaquille
Shaquille is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,927 in 2025 with 43 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1989, 6,156 American babies have been named Shaquille — about 94% boys and 6% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1993, when 1,911 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 Shaquille stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shaquille 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 | — | — | 43 | #2,927 |
| 2024 | — | — | 28 | #3,965 |
| 2023 | — | — | 28 | #3,982 |
| 2022 | — | — | 32 | #3,601 |
| 2021 | — | — | 44 | #2,853 |
| 2020 | — | — | 52 | #2,495 |
| 2019 | — | — | 47 | #2,728 |
| 2018 | — | — | 55 | #2,412 |
| 2017 | — | — | 48 | #2,629 |
| 2016 | — | — | 53 | #2,431 |
| 2015 | — | — | 55 | #2,382 |
| 2014 | — | — | 58 | #2,292 |
| 2013 | — | — | 53 | #2,394 |
| 2012 | — | — | 45 | #2,708 |
| 2011 | — | — | 32 | #3,420 |
| 2010 | — | — | 20 | #4,819 |
| 2009 | — | — | 8 | #9,720 |
| 2008 | — | — | 11 | #7,619 |
| 2007 | — | — | 7 | #10,719 |
| 2006 | — | — | 18 | #5,037 |
| 2005 | — | — | 17 | #4,999 |
| 2004 | — | — | 24 | #3,838 |
| 2003 | — | — | 34 | #2,917 |
| 2002 | — | — | 30 | #3,081 |
| 2001 | — | — | 43 | #2,339 |
| 2000 | — | — | 56 | #1,891 |
| 1995 | 20 | #4,991 | 494 | #457 |
| 1990 | 35 | #3,215 | 92 | #1,127 |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Shaquille
- Shaquille O'Neal Basketball player · b. 1972
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Shaquille mean?
A fanciful spelling of Arabic شَكِيل (šakīl, “handsome”).
How popular is the name Shaquille in 2025?
Shaquille ranked #2,927 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 43 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Shaquille?
6,156 babies have been named Shaquille in the United States since 1989, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shaquille most popular?
Shaquille peaked in 1993, when 1,911 newborns received the name.
Is Shaquille a boy or girl name?
Shaquille is used for both: about 6% of babies named Shaquille have been girls and 94% boys.
Is the name Shaquille rising or falling?
Shaquille is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Shaquille?
Well-known people named Shaquille include Shaquille O'Neal (basketball player).