Shaniqua
Shaniqua is a female given name, originating in the African-American community, gaining popularity beginning in the 1970s and peaking in the early 1990s. It is often given as the prototypical example of a "ghetto name", i.e. a name likely to belong to low-income African-Americans, and has been used in racism-related incidents to stereotype "rude" Black women.
Meaning & Origin of Shaniqua
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Shaniqua is a female given name, originating in the African-American community, gaining popularity beginning in the 1970s and peaking in the early 1990s. It is often given as the prototypical example of a "ghetto name", i.e. a name likely to belong to low-income African-Americans, and has been used in racism-related incidents to stereotype "rude" Black women.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Shaniqua
Shaniqua first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1971, with 15 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1991, when 861 Shaniquas were born — ranking #313 that year. As of 2026, Shaniqua ranks #12,274 for baby girls with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5K Shaniquas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Shaniqua
Phonetically similar names — useful when Shaniqua 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 Shaniqua
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About the name Shaniqua
Shaniqua is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1971 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Shaniqua's peak popularity came in 1991 when it ranked #313. Use the chart and map above to compare Shaniqua's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1991 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all girl 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.