Shaw
Shaw is primarily a surname of English or Chinese origin, rarely used as a given name. In English, it derives from Old English roots meaning "woodland" or "thicket". In Chinese contexts, Shaw is a romanization of the surname 邵 (Shao), or 萧 (Xiao) among overseas Chinese communities especially in the United States.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Shaw
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Shaw is primarily a surname of English or Chinese origin, rarely used as a given name. In English, it derives from Old English roots meaning "woodland" or "thicket". In Chinese contexts, Shaw is a romanization of the surname 邵 (Shao), or 萧 (Xiao) among overseas Chinese communities especially in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Shaw
Shaw first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1914, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2020: 39 births, good for #2,979 nationwide. About 21% of every Shaw on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Shaw ranks #4,662 for baby boys with 22 births, falling sharply (-19%). All told, over 1K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Shaw
Phonetically similar names — useful when Shaw 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 Shaw
What does the name Shaw mean?
What is the origin of the name Shaw?
How popular is Shaw in 2026?
When was Shaw most popular?
In which U.S. states is Shaw most popular?
Is Shaw a unisex name?
What names go well with Shaw?
About the name Shaw
Shaw is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1914 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Shaw's peak popularity came in 2020 when it ranked #1,692. Use the chart and map above to compare Shaw's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2020 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- 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.