Shane
Boy name · Celtic · Hebrew · Irish
MeaningGod is gracious · Irish form of John
- US rank
- #635
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #54 in 1973
439 babies were named Shane in the US in 2025. It has dropped 128 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1941–2025
US births per million boys, 1933–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Shane you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Shane
Shane Dawson
American Internet personality (born 1988)
Choose Shane and your child shares a first name with Shane Dawson, an American Internet personality. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Shane, like who?” Shane Dawson's Wikipedia article is available in 45 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Shane Dawson on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: heartrayna, CC BY 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 3,891 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Shane, 439 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Shane would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryShane first shows up in US birth records in 1933, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 92 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1973, when it ranked #54. Today it's #635, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowShane was 6.5× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 600 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 3,891.
- TrendShane has slipped 128 places over the last five years and now sits at #635. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedShane is most popular in Connecticut, where it ranks #296, followed by New York (#322) and New Jersey (#335). It's in the top 1,000 in 24 states.
- MeaningShane is an Irish form of John, which means “God is gracious”. Our records link it to Celtic, Hebrew and Irish roots.
About the name Shane
Shane is a boy name of Celtic, Hebrew and Irish origin meaning “God is gracious”. It has 5 letters and 1 syllable, starting with S and ending in “-ane”. US birth records list Shane for boys from 1933 to 2025, in 91 of those 93 years. Its best year was 1973, when it ranked #54 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #635, with 439 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesHebrew namesIrish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 2.6 | 389,610 girls |
| 1950s | 7.8 | 128,535 girls |
| 1960s | 19 | 52,356 girls |
| 1970s | 83 | 12,089 girls |
| 1980s | 41 | 24,355 girls |
| 1990s | 31 | 32,701 girls |
| 2000s | 16 | 60,976 girls |
| 2010s | 10.0 | 100,100 girls |
| 2020s | 7.8 | 128,866 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 4.9 | 202,899 boys |
| 1940s | 10 | 95,329 boys |
| 1950s | 124 | 8,063 boys |
| 1960s | 757 | 1,321 boys |
| 1970s | 3,064 | 326 boys |
| 1980s | 2,333 | 429 boys |
| 1990s | 2,075 | 482 boys |
| 2000s | 1,313 | 762 boys |
| 2010s | 662 | 1,510 boys |
| 2020s | 308 | 3,250 boys |
Other spellings of Shane
More Celtic boy names
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Gael · a Gael
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
Questions about the name Shane
What does the name Shane mean?
Shane means “God is gracious” in Irish, as a form of John.
What is the origin of the name Shane?
Shane has Celtic, Hebrew, Irish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Owen, Logan, Rowan.
Is Shane a boy or girl name?
Shane is a boy name.
How popular is the name Shane?
Shane ranked #635 for US boys in 2025, given to 439 babies. Its best year was 1973 (#54).