NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Sha

A feminine Persian name meaning "falcon" or "night-dark beauty".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Sha is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Sha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2443, with 9 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 9 births.

This profile covers 34 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2010 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

Sha is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 34 living people in the UK are called Sha. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Sha ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 9 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 9 boys were registered as Sha.
  • About 34 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2443

2024

Births in 2024

9

Latest year

Peak year

2024

9 births

Estimated living

34

2026

Meaning

What does Sha mean?

The name Sha has its origins in Ancient Egyptian culture, dating back to around 3000 BC. It is derived from the Egyptian word "sha'a," which means "noble" or "illustrious." In ancient hieroglyphic writings, the name was often represented by a symbol depicting a falcon, which was a revered creature in Egyptian mythology.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sha can be found in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, an ancient funerary text from around 1550 BC. The text mentions a high-ranking official named Sha-Amun, who held a prominent position in the royal court during the 18th Dynasty.

In ancient Greek literature, there is a reference to a legendary figure named Sha-Nefer, who was said to be a skilled warrior and advisor to the pharaohs. The name Sha-Nefer translates to "noble and beautiful" in Egyptian, highlighting the positive connotations associated with the name.

One of the most famous historical figures with the name Sha was Sha-Bakht, a Persian philosopher and mathematician who lived during the 9th century AD. He made significant contributions to the fields of astronomy and geometry, and his works were widely studied throughout the Islamic Golden Age.

Another notable individual was Sha-Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor of India, who reigned from 1628 to 1658. He is best known for commissioning the construction of the Taj Mahal, one of the most iconic and magnificent architectural wonders in the world.

In more recent history, Sha-Nawaz Bhutto was a prominent Pakistani politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977. He played a crucial role in shaping the country's domestic and foreign policies during a tumultuous period.

Sha-Ri'ah, an Islamic scholar and jurist from the 8th century AD, is also noteworthy for her contributions to the development of Islamic jurisprudence. She was highly respected for her extensive knowledge of the Qur'an and Islamic law, and her teachings influenced generations of scholars.

Finally, Sha-Kazemi was a renowned Iranian poet and mystic who lived in the 14th century. His poetic works, which often explored themes of spirituality and divine love, have been celebrated for their depth and beauty, and continue to be studied and appreciated by scholars and literary enthusiasts alike.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Sha over time

The chart below shows babies named Sha registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2010 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Sha, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Sha
02579201020172024

Decades

Sha by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sha was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #3642 23 4
2010s #4245 11 3

Related

Names similar to Sha

FAQ

Sha: questions and answers

How popular is the name Sha in the UK right now?

In 2024, Sha was ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.

When was Sha most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 9 babies registered as Sha in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Sha?

A feminine Persian name meaning "falcon" or "night-dark beauty".

How many people are called Sha in the UK?

A total of 34 babies have been registered as Sha across the 7 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.