Shia
Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It is rooted in the belief that the Islamic prophet Muhammad explicitly designated his cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib as his rightful political successor (caliph) and the divinely guided spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam).
Meaning & Origin of Shia
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It is rooted in the belief that the Islamic prophet Muhammad explicitly designated his cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib as his rightful political successor (caliph) and the divinely guided spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam).
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
Origin & history
The Story of Shia
As a girl name
Shia first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1993, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2008: 88 births, good for #2,234 nationwide. About 34% of every Shia on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Shia ranks #3,071 for girls with 53 births, rising sharply (+28% over the past five years). All told, over 1K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Shia on the record books as a boy name in 1960, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 176 Shias were born — ranking #1,180 that year. About 45% of every Shia on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Shia ranks #1,180 for boys with 176 births, rising sharply (+53% over the past five years). All told, over 2K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Shia
Phonetically similar names — useful when Shia 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 Shia
What does the name Shia mean?
How popular is Shia in 2026?
When was Shia most popular?
In which U.S. states is Shia most popular?
Is Shia a unisex name?
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About the name Shia
Shia is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1960 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Shia's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #1,180. Use the chart and map above to compare Shia's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.