UK girl's name
Shekinah
A feminine name derived from Hebrew, meaning "dwelling of God".
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.
Shekinah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Shekinah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2411, with 11 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 21 births.
This profile covers 278 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1997 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.
The latest count is about 52% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 277 living people in the UK are called Shekinah. 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
- • Shekinah ranked #2411 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 21 girls were registered as Shekinah.
- • About 277 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shekinah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2411
2024
Births in 2024
11
Latest year
Peak year
2013
21 births
Estimated living
277
2026
Meaning
What does Shekinah mean?
The name Shekinah originates from the Hebrew language and has its roots in ancient Jewish mysticism. It is derived from the Hebrew word "Shekhinah," which translates to "the dwelling or settling" and refers to the divine presence of God.
In Kabbalah, the esoteric Jewish mystical tradition, Shekinah represents the feminine aspect of God's presence on Earth. It is often associated with the indwelling of the divine in the physical realm, and the concept of the Shekinah has played a significant role in Jewish theological and spiritual thought throughout history.
The name Shekinah is not explicitly mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), but the concept of the divine presence is alluded to in various passages. For instance, in the Book of Exodus, the Israelites were guided by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, representing the presence of God among them.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shekinah can be found in the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism compiled between the 3rd and 6th centuries CE. The Talmud discusses the concept of the Shekinah and its manifestations in various contexts.
Over the centuries, the name Shekinah has been borne by several notable individuals, including:
1. Shekinah Hadas (born 1936), an Israeli artist known for her mixed-media works and sculptures. 2. Shekinah Erza (born 1987), an Indonesian singer and actress. 3. Shekinah Glory Ministry (founded in the late 20th century), a non-denominational Christian ministry based in the United States. 4. Shekinah Shabazz (born 1934), an American author and activist, the daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz. 5. Shekinah Renee King (born 2002), the granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.
The name Shekinah has held spiritual and cultural significance throughout Jewish history and has also found its way into other traditions, particularly within certain Christian and New Age spiritual movements. Its connection to the divine presence and the feminine aspect of God has made it a powerful and symbolic name choice for many.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Shekinah over time
The chart below shows babies named Shekinah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 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 Shekinah, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 21 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shekinah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shekinah 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 | #2625 | 51 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2089 | 136 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2411 | 83 | 10 |
| 1990s | #3319 | 8 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Shekinah
- 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
Shekinah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Shekinah in the UK right now?
In 2024, Shekinah was ranked #2411 for girls in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Shekinah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 21 babies registered as Shekinah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Shekinah?
A feminine name derived from Hebrew, meaning "dwelling of God".
How many people are called Shekinah in the UK?
A total of 278 babies have been registered as Shekinah across the 27 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.