Shadow
A shadow is a dark area on a surface where light from a light source is blocked by an object. In contrast, shade occupies the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross-section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, or a reverse projection of the object blocking the light.
Meaning & Origin of Shadow
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
A shadow is a dark area on a surface where light from a light source is blocked by an object. In contrast, shade occupies the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross-section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, or a reverse projection of the object blocking the light.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Shadow
As a girl name
Shadow first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1974, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1994, when 24 Shadows were born — ranking #4,239 that year. As of 2026, Shadow ranks #13,427 for girls with 6 births, holding steady (+0%). In total, more than 491 Shadows have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Shadow first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1987, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1993, when 36 Shadows were born — ranking #2,162 that year. As of 2026, Shadow ranks #6,245 for boys with 14 births, holding steady (-4%). In total, more than 626 Shadows have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Shadow
Phonetically similar names — useful when Shadow is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Shadow
What does the name Shadow mean?
How popular is Shadow in 2026?
When was Shadow most popular?
Is Shadow a unisex name?
What names go well with Shadow?
About the name Shadow
Shadow is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1987 and has accumulated 626 births in the dataset. Shadow's peak popularity came in 1993 when it ranked #2,162. Use the chart and map above to compare Shadow's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1993 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.