Declining since 1994, #8,243 for boys today.
Popularity of Shakeem since 1976
Babies named Shakeem per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 15 |
| 1980s | 104 |
| 1990s | 418 |
| 2000s | 140 |
| 2010s | 99 |
| 2020s | 63 |
Meaning & origin
Shakeem is a modern American name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1976, reflecting a period of creative naming among African American families. Its peak popularity came in 1994, when it ranked in the top 8,000s, but it has since declined in use. Over the decade 2023 to 2025, the name has been given to fewer than 5 babies per year, illustrating its rarity. Despite its obscurity, Shakeem fits a pattern of names that combine a strong initial sound with a common suffix, much like later variants such as Shaqueem. The name is almost exclusively male and remains a distinctive choice.
Shakeem emerged in the United States in the late 20th century, first recorded in 1976. It appears to be a modern coinage, possibly inspired by Arabic names like Hakim (meaning 'wise' or 'judge') with a modified initial syllable, or an invented name using the fashionable Sha- prefix and -keem suffix. Its rise in the 1990s reflects broader trends in African American naming practices, favoring distinctive phonetic combinations. Uncommon elsewhere, it remains primarily a U.S. given name.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Shaqueem
Sibling names for Shakeem
Names that share Shakeem's style, for a brother or sister.
