Shang
The Shang dynasty, also known as the Yin dynasty, was a Chinese royal dynasty that ruled in the Yellow River valley during the 2nd millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and followed by the Western Zhou dynasty. The classic account of the Shang comes from texts such as the Book of Documents, Bamboo Annals and Shiji.
Meaning & Origin of Shang
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The Shang dynasty, also known as the Yin dynasty, was a Chinese royal dynasty that ruled in the Yellow River valley during the 2nd millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and followed by the Western Zhou dynasty. The classic account of the Shang comes from texts such as the Book of Documents, Bamboo Annals and Shiji.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Shang
The earliest SSA record of Shang as a baby boy name dates back to 1973, when 7 babies received it. 1973 was its biggest year on record, with 7 newborns named Shang — #4,056 in the national rankings. About 52% of every Shang on record arrived during the 1970s, its defining decade. Shang last appeared in the published SSA data in 1994, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 25 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Shang
Phonetically similar names — useful when Shang 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 Shang
What does the name Shang mean?
How popular is Shang in 2026?
When was Shang most popular?
Is Shang a unisex name?
What names go well with Shang?
About the name Shang
Shang is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1973 and has accumulated 25 births in the dataset. Shang's peak popularity came in 1973 when it ranked #4,056. Use the chart and map above to compare Shang's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1973 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.