Girl · #13,518 in 2026

Shanni

Name: Popularity of the name Shanni in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Shanni, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

The Shan people, historically known as the Tai Long (တႆးလူင်) or Thai Yai, are a Tai ethnic group native to Southeast Asia. As the largest minority ethnic group in Myanmar (Burma), the Shan have historically coexisted and integrated within the broader framework of the Burmese nation, remaining an integral part of the country's socio-political history and identity across successive historical eras.

Current Rank

#13,518

Peak Rank

#6,620 (1971)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1969

First Year

1996

Last Year

1971

Peak Year

#6620

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Shanni

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

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

Etymology

The Shan use the endonym Tai (တႆး) in reference to themselves, which is also used in Chinese ( Chinese : 傣族 ; pinyin : Dǎizú ). Shan (ရှမ်း) is an exonym from the Burmese language ; the term itself was historically spelt သျှမ်း ( MLCTS : hsyam: ), and is cognate with the term " Siam ," the former name of Thailand. The term is extant to Old Burmese , first attested to a Bagan era inscription from 1120, where it referred to Tai-speaking populations east of the kingdom. "Shan" has also been borrowed into Chinese ( Chinese : 掸族 ; pinyin : Shànzú ). In Thai , the Shan are called Tai Yai (ไทใหญ่, li

Origin & history

See also: Shan States The Tai-Shan people are believed to have migrated from Yunnan in China . The Shan are descendants of the oldest branch of the Tai-Shan, known as Tai Luang ('Great Tai') or Tai Yai ('Big Tai'). The Tai-Shan who migrated to the south and now inhabit modern-day Laos and Thailand are known as Tai Noi (or Tai Nyai ), while those in parts of northern Thailand and Laos are commonly known as Tai Noi ('Little Tai' – Lao spoken) The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Burma as far back as the 10th century CE. The Shan kingdom of Mong Mao (Muang Mao) e

The Story of Shanni

Shanni first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1969, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1971, when 7 Shannis were born — ranking #6,620 that year. As of 2026, Shanni ranks #13,518 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 28 Shannis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Notable people named Shanni

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

Sao Shwe Thaik , first president of Myanmar
Sai Wan Leng Kham , Shan politician
Sao Kya Seng , Shan engineer and politician
Wutt Hmone Shwe Yi , Burmese actress

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

Names that sound like Shanni

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

Shani
Shanny
Shiny
Shinny
Shana
Shawny
Shawnee
Shanna
Shammy
Shinney
Sheeny
Shoney

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Shanni

What does the name Shanni mean?

How popular is Shanni in 2026?

In 2026, Shanni ranks #13,518 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Shanni most popular?

Shanni reached its peak popularity in 1971, ranking #6,620 that year with 7 babies given the name.

Is Shanni a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Shanni?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Shanni include Reca, Loanna, Orfelinda. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Shanni

Shanni is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1969 and has accumulated 28 births in the dataset. Shanni's peak popularity came in 1971 when it ranked #6,620. Use the chart and map above to compare Shanni'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.