A 1970s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Sha since 1962
Babies named Sha per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1989, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Sha's real moment was 1978.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 49 | 0 |
| 1970s | 192 | 52 |
| 1980s | 150 | 40 |
| 1990s | 184 | 20 |
| 2000s | 37 | 10 |
| 2010s | 22 | 0 |
| 2020s | 5 | 5 |
Meaning & origin
Sha is a short, modern given name that entered U.S. records in 1962. It peaked in popularity during 1978, reflecting the trend for clipped, one-syllable names in that era. After decades of infrequent use, Sha has been rising again since 2022, aligning with a revival of short, vowel-ending names and unisex choices. Although it has never ranked among the top 1000 nationally, its trajectory suggests a niche but growing appeal. Sha functions as both a standalone name and a nickname for longer forms like Sasha or Shaun, giving it flexibility. Its lack of top state concentrations indicates broad, if sparse, use across the country.
Sha is primarily a modern diminutive or short form, emerging independently in English in the 1960s. It may derive from names like Shasha (Russian diminutive of Alexander) or Shaun (Irish form of John), or be an invented standalone. In Chinese contexts, 'Sha' can represent the character 沙 meaning 'sand', but as an English given name its origin is most often a truncation or fashionable coinage.
Sibling names for Sha
Names that share Sha's style, for a brother or sister.
