Shane is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Shane means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Shane across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Shane has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Shane is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “God is gracious”. an anglicised form of the Irish Seán.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 196,166 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 6,731 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 864 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 1,066 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 22,075 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 10,213 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Shane per year, United States (1933 to 2025). United States peaked in 1973 (5,931/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (849/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1988 (830/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (77/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1996 (40/yr).
Shane has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1973, when it ranked #100 nationally (given to 6,282 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1970s.
Shawn · Shaun · Sheena · Shawna · Shanna · Shana · Shania · Shauna
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