NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Shon

A masculine name of uncertain origin, possibly an abbreviated form of Jonathan.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2014. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Shon is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Shon popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2014 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3895, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 4 births.

This profile covers 16 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 1998 to 2014. 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.

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

We estimate that about 16 living people in the UK are called Shon. 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 2015 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Shon ranked #3895 for boys in England and Wales in 2014, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2014, when 4 boys were registered as Shon.
  • About 16 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shon as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3895

2014

Births in 2014

4

Latest year

Peak year

2014

4 births

Estimated living

16

2026

Meaning

What does Shon mean?

The name Shon is believed to have its origins in the Welsh language, deriving from the word "sion" which means "gracious" or "gracious gift." This name has been in use since the Middle Ages in Wales and other parts of the British Isles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this name can be found in the Welsh Triads, a collection of traditional Welsh folklore and literature dating back to the Middle Ages. The name Shon is mentioned in several of these tales, often referring to characters with noble or heroic qualities.

In the 12th century, there was a Welsh prince named Shon ap Gruffydd, who fought against the Norman invaders and played a significant role in defending Welsh independence. His name and deeds were celebrated in various bardic poems and chronicles of the time.

During the Tudor period in the 16th century, Shon Tudur, a Welsh courtier and advisor to King Henry VII, held a prominent position in the royal court. He was known for his diplomatic skills and played a crucial role in uniting the Welsh and English crowns.

In the realm of literature, the name Shon appears in several works by Welsh authors, such as the 19th-century novelist and clergyman Shon Dafydd Rhys, who wrote about the lives of rural Welsh communities.

Another notable figure was Shon Wyn Edwards, a Welsh artist and engraver who lived from 1766 to 1839. His intricate engravings of Welsh landscapes and historical scenes were highly acclaimed during his lifetime.

In the world of music, Shon Bodrug was a renowned Welsh composer and harpist who lived in the late 16th century. His compositions were widely performed and admired, contributing significantly to the preservation of traditional Welsh music.

While the name Shon has its roots in Welsh culture, it has also been adopted and used in various other cultures and contexts throughout history, often as a variant spelling or adaptation of the name John.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Shon over time

The chart below shows babies named Shon registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2014. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Shon, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2014, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Shon
01234199820062014

Decades

Shon by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shon 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
2010s #4407 10 3
2000s #3849 3 1
1990s #2901 3 1

Related

Names similar to Shon

FAQ

Shon: questions and answers

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

In 2014, Shon was ranked #3895 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Shon most popular?

The peak year on record was 2014, with 4 babies registered as Shon in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Shon?

A masculine name of uncertain origin, possibly an abbreviated form of Jonathan.

How many people are called Shon in the UK?

A total of 16 babies have been registered as Shon across the 5 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.