UK girl's name
Shahana
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "princess" or "queen".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Shahana is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Shahana popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 14 births.
This profile covers 146 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. 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.
The latest count is about 21% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 145 living people in the UK are called Shahana. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Shahana ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 14 girls were registered as Shahana.
- • About 145 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shahana as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5687
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
14 births
Estimated living
145
2026
Meaning
What does Shahana mean?
The name Shahana is of Persian origin, derived from the Persian word "shah," meaning "king" or "sovereign." It is a feminine form of the name, often given to girls born into royal or noble families in ancient Persia, which is now modern-day Iran.
The name can be traced back to the Sassanid Empire, which ruled over Persia from the 3rd to the 7th century AD. During this time, the name was commonly used by members of the royal family and aristocracy. It was also mentioned in some ancient Persian texts and literature, although specific references are scarce.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shahana is found in the 10th-century Persian epic poem, the Shahnameh, written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi. In the poem, Shahana is mentioned as the name of a beautiful princess.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Shahana. One of the most famous was Shahana Begum (1614-1681), a Mughal princess and the daughter of Emperor Jahangir. She was known for her beauty, intelligence, and patronage of the arts.
Another prominent figure was Shahana Khanum (1560-1620), a Mughal princess and the daughter of Emperor Akbar. She was a patron of literature and the arts and is credited with commissioning several notable architectural works during her lifetime.
In the 19th century, Shahana Sultan (1841-1907) was a notable Indian poet and writer who composed works in Urdu and Persian. She was highly regarded for her literary contributions and was a member of the royal family of Awadh.
Shahana Caufman (1938-2011) was an American artist and sculptor, known for her contributions to the feminist art movement in the 1970s and her large-scale public sculptures.
Shahana Khan (born 1967) is a contemporary British writer and journalist of Bangladeshi descent, known for her novels and short stories exploring themes of identity, culture, and gender.
It is worth noting that while the name Shahana has Persian roots, it has been adopted and used in various cultures and regions, particularly in South Asia and the Middle East, where it has gained popularity over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Shahana over time
The chart below shows babies named Shahana registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Shahana, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 14 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shahana by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shahana 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 | #5687 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4577 | 37 | 8 |
| 2000s | #2689 | 66 | 9 |
| 1990s | #1723 | 40 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Shahana
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
FAQ
Shahana: questions and answers
How popular is the name Shahana in the UK right now?
In 2023, Shahana was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Shahana most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 14 babies registered as Shahana in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Shahana?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "princess" or "queen".
How many people are called Shahana in the UK?
A total of 146 babies have been registered as Shahana across the 22 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.