Shain
Shain was the 11780th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 6 babies. Its best year was 1977, when it ranked 1510th; the most babies were born in 1985 (40). Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,346 places. More babies were named Shain in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Shane) God is gracious (Irish form of John) · Irish, Hebrew
- Rank in 2025
- #11,780 boys, up 29 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 6boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 198540 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,241babies recorded
What does the name Shain mean?
Shain is a spelling of Shane, pronounced the same way, so it shares Shane's meaning and origin.
Shane is an anglicized spelling of Irish Seán, written as it sounds in northern Irish pronunciation. Seán was borrowed from Old French Jehan, which comes through Latin Iohannes and Greek Iōannēs from Hebrew Yochanan, "God is gracious"; DMNES glosses it "graced by God." So Shane is a form of John, like Sean, Shawn, Ian and Evan. Wiktionary records Shane as a boys' name, a girls' name and an Irish surname.
Seán (Irish, “John”)יוֹחָנָן (Biblical Hebrew, “God is gracious”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Sean, Shaun, Shawn, John, Eoin, Shayne.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean God, names that mean grace.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Shane' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Seán' (Irish section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'John', DMNES (Durham University)
Shain popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 26 since 1970.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,780 | 6 |
| 2020 | #11,809 | 6 |
| 2010 | #5,006 | 19 |
| 2000 | #3,737 | 22 |
| 1990 | #2,208 | 33 |
| 1980 | #1,648 | 36 |
| 1970 | #2,200 | 18 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Shain, counting every spelling?
Shain is a spelling of Shane, a name family that ranked #551 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #11,780 for Shain on its own. Together these spellings went to 541 boys in 2025.
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Shain?
6 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Shain (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Shain born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 1,368 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Shain.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Shain?
About 1,100 people born in the US named Shain are alive today, with a median age of 37; half are between 25 and 47. That makes Shain mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Shain by state
How common Shain was among boys born in each state in 1983–1987, around its peak. In 49 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Shain: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Shain, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Shain
What does Shain mean?
Shain is a spelling of Shane, which means “God is gracious (Irish form of John)” (Irish, Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Shain?
Shain was the 11780th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 6 babies. Its best year was 1977, when it ranked 1510th; the most babies were born in 1985 (40). Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,346 places. More babies were named Shain in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Is Shain a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Shain in the US.
Where was Shain most popular?
In 1983–1987, Shain was most common in Michigan (0.02 per 1,000 boys), followed by California and California.