Shona
A female given name from Scottish Gaelic.
Every Shona since 1943 — 2,414 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shona
Shona is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1943, 2,414 American babies have been named Shona. Its peak came in 1970, when 160 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
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 Shona stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shona year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | 6 | #15,024 |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | 5 | #17,336 |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | 5 | #18,493 |
| 2015 | 7 | #14,297 |
| 2014 | 7 | #14,348 |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | 11 | #10,337 |
| 2011 | 7 | #14,632 |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | 10 | #11,355 |
| 2008 | 11 | #10,694 |
| 2007 | 7 | #15,251 |
| 2006 | 11 | #10,512 |
| 2005 | 14 | #8,267 |
| 2004 | 10 | #10,573 |
| 2003 | 7 | #13,632 |
| 2002 | 9 | #10,977 |
| 2001 | 12 | #8,668 |
| 2000 | 15 | #7,113 |
| 1995 | 13 | #6,982 |
| 1990 | 31 | #3,507 |
| 1985 | 30 | #3,072 |
| 1980 | 90 | #1,393 |
| 1975 | 66 | #1,542 |
| 1970 | 160 | #847 |
| 1965 | 57 | #1,483 |
| 1960 | 24 | #2,501 |
| 1955 | 12 | #3,550 |
| 1950 | 6 | #5,223 |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Shona mean?
A female given name from Scottish Gaelic.
How popular is the name Shona in 2025?
Shona did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Shona?
2,414 babies have been named Shona in the United States since 1943, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shona most popular?
Shona peaked in 1970, when 160 newborns received the name.
Is Shona a boy or girl name?
Shona is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Shona rising or falling?
Shona is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.