ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1974

First Year

2018

Last Year

1991

Peak Year

#3817

Peak Rank

392

Total Count

34

Years Active

📖

## The Story of Shanai

Shanai first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1974, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1991, when 27 Shanais were born — ranking #3,817 that year. As of 2026, Shanai ranks #15,678 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 392 Shanais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

## Popularity Over Time

## 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 Shanai

Phonetically similar names — useful when Shanai is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. 

* [Shania](/shania)
* [Shannon](/shannon)
* [Shanon](/shanon)
* [Shannan](/shannan)
* Shanghai
* [Shanty](/shanty)
* [Shana](/shana)
* [Shandy](/shandy)
* [Shanna](/shanna)
* [Shanti](/shanti)
* [Shani](/shani)
* [Shanice](/shanice)

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Shanai

What does the name Shanai mean?

Shanai is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1974\. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Shanai in 2026?

In 2026, Shanai ranks #15,678 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Shanai most popular?

Shanai reached its peak popularity in 1991, ranking #3,817 that year with 27 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Shanai most popular?

Shanai has historically been most popular in Pennsylvania, New York. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Shanai.

Is Shanai a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Shanai is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Shanai?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Shanai include Affie, Lousia, Girtrue. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

[👧AffiePeak #3817](/affie)[👧LousiaPeak #3817](/lousia)[👧GirtruePeak #3817](/girtrue)[👧OzeliaPeak #3817](/ozelia)[👧MelissiePeak #3817](/melissie)[👧AlberdiaPeak #3817](/alberdia)[👧ErleanPeak #3817](/erlean)[👧EstellenePeak #3817](/estellene)

## About the name Shanai 

Shanai is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1974 and has accumulated 392 births in the dataset. Shanai's peak popularity came in 1991 when it ranked #3,817\. Use the chart and map above to compare Shanai's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 1991 → ](/year/1991)
* [ Names of the 1990s → ](/decade/1990s)
* [ Names starting with "S" → ](/letter/s)
* [ Browse all girl names → ](/names/girls)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

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.