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Shane

Boy / Girl name · 864 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Shane: 864 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 40 births in 1996.

Rooted in the Hebrew Yochanan meaning 'God is gracious,' Shane is the anglicised form of the Irish Seán, a Gaelic version of John. It gained international fame through Australian cricketer Shane Warne and Irish musician Shane MacGowan of The Pogues. The name also evokes the classic 1953 western 'Shane' and its stoic protagonist. While strongly tied to Irish heritage, Shane has been consistently chosen by Scottish parents since the 1970s. A direct variant is the original Irish spelling Seán, which retains the traditional fada accent.

Boy 50 of 52 years

Peak year
199640 babies
Latest (2024)
#4786 babies
Total births
861since 1974
5-year trend
▼ 26%vs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 1996 · 40
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).

Girl 1 of 52 years

Peak year
19743 babies
Latest (1974)
#5083 babies
Total births
3since 1974
5-year trend
≈ stablevs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 1974 · 3
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).