Hebrew origin
Source-reportedFrom Ancient Greek Σήμ (Sḗm), from Hebrew שם (Šēm).
Sources for this account (1)
- Wiktionary: ShemCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
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A name. A world of connections.
Hebrew roots
No sourced pronunciation yet
01 / Meaning & origin
Shem is a masculine given name documented in English. English Wiktionary traces it to Hebrew שם via Ancient Greek.
Separate records with matching spellings: Shem (English)
From Ancient Greek Σήμ (Sḗm), from Hebrew שם (Šēm).
02 / Across borders
Explore official naming statistics and documented language connections around the world.
The name atlas
11
countries in our sources
Select a country to follow Shem’s connections around the world.
3 countries with official statistics. Language records show cultural connections; they do not measure how common a name is.
Selected country
Statistics + language records
United States, 2025: 10 boys (rank 7679). Documented as a given name in English.
Explore United States4 of 11 countries
03 / By the numbers
Follow the spelling through the years, one published dataset at a time.
1880–2025 Spelling: Shem
Hover to explore a year. Use arrow keys when a chart point has focus.
Source: US Social Security Administration; redistributed by nkrishnaswami · SSA national baby names, 1880–2025 (CC0 redistribution)
Integer application counts retained without rounding.
Per million is unavailable: this source has no matching published total.
| Year | Applications | Rank | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1881 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1882 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1883 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1884 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1885 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1886 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1887 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1888 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1889 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1890 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1891 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1892 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1893 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1894 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1895 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1896 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1897 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1898 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1899 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1900 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1901 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1902 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1903 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1904 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1905 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1906 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1907 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1908 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1909 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1910 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1911 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1912 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1913 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1914 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1915 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1916 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1917 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1918 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1919 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1920 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1921 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1922 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1923 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1924 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1925 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1926 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1927 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1928 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1929 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1930 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1931 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1932 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1933 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1934 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1935 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1936 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1937 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1938 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1939 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1940 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1941 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1942 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1943 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1944 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1945 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1946 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1947 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1948 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1949 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1950 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1951 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1952 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1953 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1954 | 5 | 3,827 | observed |
| 1955 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1956 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1957 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1958 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1959 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1960 | 6 | 3,665 | observed |
| 1961 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1962 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1963 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1964 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1965 | 6 | 3,537 | observed |
| 1966 | 7 | 3,249 | observed |
| 1967 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1968 | 9 | 2,907 | observed |
| 1969 | 8 | 3,314 | observed |
| 1970 | 8 | 3,521 | observed |
| 1971 | 9 | 3,370 | observed |
| 1972 | 17 | 2,243 | observed |
| 1973 | 16 | 2,405 | observed |
| 1974 | 12 | 2,946 | observed |
| 1975 | 13 | 2,902 | observed |
| 1976 | 23 | 2,054 | observed |
| 1977 | 21 | 2,202 | observed |
| 1978 | 23 | 2,068 | observed |
| 1979 | 14 | 3,018 | observed |
| 1980 | 10 | 3,838 | observed |
| 1981 | 18 | 2,569 | observed |
| 1982 | 17 | 2,709 | observed |
| 1983 | 15 | 2,912 | observed |
| 1984 | 10 | 3,925 | observed |
| 1985 | 8 | 4,698 | observed |
| 1986 | 10 | 4,130 | observed |
| 1987 | 14 | 3,339 | observed |
| 1988 | 15 | 3,350 | observed |
| 1989 | 6 | 6,941 | observed |
| 1990 | 12 | 4,407 | observed |
| 1991 | 16 | 3,636 | observed |
| 1992 | 13 | 4,327 | observed |
| 1993 | 10 | 5,360 | observed |
| 1994 | 9 | 5,868 | observed |
| 1995 | 13 | 4,508 | observed |
| 1996 | 8 | 6,496 | observed |
| 1997 | 6 | 8,110 | observed |
| 1998 | 11 | 5,466 | observed |
| 1999 | 12 | 5,317 | observed |
| 2000 | 14 | 5,040 | observed |
| 2001 | 6 | 9,243 | observed |
| 2002 | 10 | 6,522 | observed |
| 2003 | 11 | 6,258 | observed |
| 2004 | 12 | 6,138 | observed |
| 2005 | 15 | 5,278 | observed |
| 2006 | 14 | 5,781 | observed |
| 2007 | 13 | 6,262 | observed |
| 2008 | 8 | 9,019 | observed |
| 2009 | 10 | 7,692 | observed |
| 2010 | 7 | 9,693 | observed |
| 2011 | 7 | 9,600 | observed |
| 2012 | 7 | 9,709 | observed |
| 2013 | 16 | 5,404 | observed |
| 2014 | 16 | 5,485 | observed |
| 2015 | 17 | 5,289 | observed |
| 2016 | 11 | 7,157 | observed |
| 2017 | 16 | 5,526 | observed |
| 2018 | 17 | 5,320 | observed |
| 2019 | 16 | 5,555 | observed |
| 2020 | 12 | 6,620 | observed |
| 2021 | 13 | 6,335 | observed |
| 2022 | 17 | 5,445 | observed |
| 2023 | 12 | 6,897 | observed |
| 2024 | 13 | 6,469 | observed |
| 2025 | 10 | 7,679 | observed |
Statistics count the spelling “Shem” as recorded by the publisher. When a spelling has several independent origins, the counts are not split between them. Counts measure applications. Gaps are years without a published value, not zeros.
Rates per million are unavailable for this series because no compatible denominator has been imported.
Retrieved 2026-10-15 · CC0-1.0
Read our methodology04 / Through time
No historical attestations or sourced notable bearers are recorded yet. Historical databases are being evaluated for reuse permission; nothing is listed until a record can be cited.
A little story to keep
Take the story of Shem with you. Create a personal name passport with its meaning, roots and connections.
06 / Behind the facts
Review status: Source-reported — no editorial review recorded yet. Last data change 2026-10-15.
SSA national baby names, 1880–2025 (CC0 redistribution)
US Social Security Administration; redistributed by nkrishnaswami · CC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
South Australia — Popular Baby Names, per-year lists including names given once, 1944-2017
Attorney-General's Department, South Australia (via data.sa.gov.au) · CC-BY-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Fichier des prénoms — édition 2026 (naissances 1900 à 2025), fichier national
Insee (Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques) · LO-2.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14
Wiktionary text: CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikidata: CC0. Commons recordings retain their individual file licences. Complete attribution is available in each group above and alongside each chart.