Shalane
A feminine name of disputed origin, potentially relating to "shelter" or "peace".
Name Census estimates that about 414 living Americans carry the first name Shalane. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shalane today is around 40 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shalane births was 1986 (54 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shalane. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
414
~ 1 in 827,909 Americans
Peak year
1986
54 babies that year
Average age
40
years old
2020 SSA rank
#13,247
Tracked since 1963
Census
Shalane in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 415 people with the first name Shalane, which placed it at #23,539 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#23,539
National first-name rank
People counted
415
415 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
White
65.5% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shalane
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Shalane is White at 65.5%. The next largest groups are Black (14.7%) and Hispanic (5.8%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Shalane described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Shalane at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White65.5% · 272
- Black or African American14.7% · 61
- Hispanic or Latino5.8% · 24
- American Indian and Alaska Native5.8% · 24
- Two or more races4.8% · 20
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.4% · 14
Popularity
Shalane: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shalane from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 260 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shalane by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Shalane during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shalanes live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Texas, Washington recorded the most babies named Shalane, while Utah, Washington, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Shalane
The name Shalane is a relatively modern invention, with its origins tracing back to the late 20th century. It is believed to be a combination of the names Shana and Elaine, blending elements from both to create a unique and distinct moniker.
While the exact etymology is uncertain, it is speculated that Shalane may have been derived from the Hebrew name Shana, which means "brilliant" or "scarlet." This suggests a possible connection to themes of radiance, vibrancy, and beauty. Alternatively, the latter part of the name, "lane," could be interpreted as a reference to a path or journey, imbuing the name with a sense of direction and purpose.
Historical references to the name Shalane are scarce, as its emergence is relatively recent. However, a few notable individuals have borne this name throughout the years, leaving their mark on various fields.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shalane can be found in the 1970s, with Shalane Michelle Flanagan, an American actress born in 1970. Flanagan had a successful career in television and film, appearing in popular shows like "Sisters" and "Beverly Hills, 90210."
Another notable figure is Shalane Flanagan, an accomplished American long-distance runner born in 1981. Flanagan won multiple national titles and represented the United States in several Olympic Games, cementing her place as one of the country's most successful female distance runners.
In the realm of sports, Shalane Smith, an American basketball player born in 1986, made a name for herself during her collegiate career at the University of Texas at El Paso. Smith's achievements on the court and her skills as a guard earned her recognition within the basketball community.
Moving to the literary world, Shalane Welch, an American author born in 1988, has gained recognition for her work in the young adult fiction genre. Her novels have explored themes of self-discovery, relationships, and personal growth, resonating with readers across various age groups.
Finally, Shalane Stevenson, an American singer and songwriter born in 1990, has made her mark in the music industry. With her soulful voice and insightful lyrics, Stevenson has captured the hearts of audiences and critics alike, establishing herself as a rising talent in the contemporary music scene.
While the name Shalane may be relatively new, these individuals have contributed to its growing recognition and significance across various fields, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural landscape.
People
Shalane + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shalane as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Shalane: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shalane?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 414 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shalane going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 827,909 US residents.
Is Shalane a common name?
We classify Shalane as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 441 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shalane most popular?
The single biggest year for Shalane was 1986, when 54 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shalane is about 40 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Shalane in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 415 people with the name Shalane, or 0.14 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #23,539 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Shalane in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Shalane?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Shalane leans strongly female. 413 people counted with this name were female (98.6%), compared with 6 male bearers (1.4%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Shalane?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Shalane is White at 65.5%. The next largest groups are Black (14.7%) and Hispanic (5.8%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Shalane most often in the Census?
White is the largest reported group for people named Shalane in the 2020 Census, accounting for 65.5% (272 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Shalane in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shalane a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shalane in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Shalane still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shalane in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Shalane can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
How many people have Shalane as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.