Unisex · #11,416 in 2026

Shalamar

Shalamar is an American R&B and soul music vocal group created by Dick Griffey and Don Cornelius in 1977 and active throughout the 1980s. Shalamar's classic lineup on the SOLAR label consisted of Howard Hewett, Jody Watley, and Jeffrey Daniel. It was originally a disco-driven group created by Soul Train booking agent Dick Griffey and show creator and producer Don Cornelius.

Current Rank
#11,416
Peak Rank
#3,215 (1980)
Total Babies
234
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #3,215 (234 total)
👦 Boy peak #2,444 (83 total)
👧As Girl Name
1966
First Year
2006
Last Year
1980
Peak Year
#3215
Peak Rank
234
Total Count
21
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1980
First Year
1990
Last Year
1980
Peak Year
#2444
Peak Rank
83
Total Count
10
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Shalamar

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Shalamar is an American R&B and soul music vocal group created by Dick Griffey and Don Cornelius in 1977 and active throughout the 1980s. Shalamar's classic lineup on the SOLAR label consisted of Howard Hewett, Jody Watley, and Jeffrey Daniel. It was originally a disco-driven group created by Soul Train booking agent Dick Griffey and show creator and producer Don Cornelius.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Shalamar

As a girl name

The earliest SSA record of Shalamar as a girl name dates back to 1966, when 5 babies received it. 1980 was its biggest year on record, with 26 newborns named Shalamar — #3,215 in the national rankings. About 64% of every Shalamar on record arrived during the 1980s, its defining decade. Shalamar last appeared in the published SSA data in 2006, with 9 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 234 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.

As a boy name

American parents first put Shalamar on the record books as a boy name in 1980, with 20 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1980, when 20 Shalamars were born — ranking #2,444 that year. About 94% of every Shalamar on record arrived during the 1980s, its defining decade. Shalamar last appeared in the published SSA data in 1990, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 83 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1980s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Shalamar

Phonetically similar names — useful when Shalamar 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 Shalamar

What does the name Shalamar mean?
Shalamar is an American R&B and soul music vocal group created by Dick Griffey and Don Cornelius in 1977 and active throughout the 1980s. Shalamar's classic lineup on the SOLAR label consisted of Howard Hewett, Jody Watley, and Jeffrey Daniel. It was originally a disco-driven group created by Soul Train booking agent Dick Griffey and show creator and producer Don Cornelius.
How popular is Shalamar in 2026?
In 2026, Shalamar ranks #11,416 among girls' names in the U.S., with 9 babies given the name that year.
When was Shalamar most popular?
Shalamar reached its peak popularity in 1980, ranking #3,215 that year with 26 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Shalamar most popular?
Shalamar has historically been most popular in Ohio, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Shalamar.
Is Shalamar a unisex name?
Yes — Shalamar is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 74% of Shalamars assigned female and 26% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Shalamar?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Shalamar include Nivia, Shoshanna, Latecia. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Shalamar

Shalamar is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1966 and has accumulated 234 births in the dataset. Shalamar's peak popularity came in 1980 when it ranked #3,215. Use the chart and map above to compare Shalamar's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.