Holding steady.
Popularity of Shafer since 1990
Babies named Shafer per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 48 |
| 2000s | 48 |
| 2010s | 29 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Shafer is an uncommon given name that first appeared on U.S. birth records in 1990. It reached its highest usage in 1994, though it has never ranked among the top 1000 names. The name's trajectory has remained stable over the years, with a very low frequency of use. It is a rare choice, likely recognized more as a surname than a first name. The name Shafer does not appear among the top states for either gender, reflecting its nationwide rarity.
Shafer is likely a variant of the German occupational surname Schäfer, which means 'shepherd'. It was brought to the United States by German immigrants and occasionally used as a given name. Its use as a first name remains rare, with modest usage in the 1990s.
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Shafer
Names that share Shafer's style, for a brother or sister.
