Shem
Shem is a masculine given name that may refer to the following notable people:Shem Tov, multiple people Shem Bageine, Ugandan politician Shem Delaney, Irish hurler Shem Downey (1922–2013), Irish hurler Shem Drowne (1683–1774), American coppersmith and tinplate worker Shem Kororia, Kenyan long-distance runner Shem Ngoche, Kenyan cricketer Shem Ochuodho, Kenyan politician Shem Tatupu, Samoan rugby…
- Biblical
- Biblical Hebrew
Meaning & Origin of Shem
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Shem is a masculine given name that may refer to the following notable people:Shem Tov, multiple people Shem Bageine, Ugandan politician Shem Delaney, Irish hurler Shem Downey (1922–2013), Irish hurler Shem Drowne (1683–1774), American coppersmith and tinplate worker Shem Kororia, Kenyan long-distance runner Shem Ngoche, Kenyan cricketer Shem Ochuodho, Kenyan politician Shem Tatupu, Samoan rugby…
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Biblical
- Biblical Hebrew
The Story of Shem
American parents first put Shem on the record books as a baby boy name in 1954, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1976, when 23 Shems were born — ranking #2,054 that year. About 20% of every Shem on record arrived during the 1970s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Shem ranks #6,250 for baby boys with 14 births, gradually falling (-5%). All told, over 768 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1950s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Shem
Phonetically similar names — useful when Shem 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 Shem
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Is Shem a unisex name?
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About the name Shem
Shem is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1954 and has accumulated 768 births in the dataset. Shem's peak popularity came in 1976 when it ranked #2,054. Use the chart and map above to compare Shem's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1976 →
- 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.